


You Can't Afford Him

by quiveringbunny



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Gambling, Humor, Resolved Sexual Tension, Romance, Secret Identities, Suspenders, UST, olicity - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-01-04 06:42:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18338246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quiveringbunny/pseuds/quiveringbunny
Summary: Oliver and Felicity, still strained after returning from Lian Yu following the takedown of Slade Wilson, take on roles that challenge their buried feelings when they go undercover to investigate a dangerous arms dealer. A Macau casino. A luxury suite. Suspenders. Lucky red panties. What could go wrong?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Well, there has been so much going on with respect to Olicity and Arrow IRL lately, I decided to get going on this fic I have had in my head for a while. It takes place just after Season 2, when Oliver and Felicity were on the cusp of something following his "I love you" in the mansion. I hope you like this story. It's a multi-chapter. I hope to update it in a timely way, muse-willing. 
> 
> Huge thanks to TinaDay3w for being an incredible friend, reader and beta. And also thanks for coming up with Oliver's name. You'll see. Hope you enjoy the story.

CHAPTER 1

 

After the team returned from depositing Slade Wilson in his dismal cell beneath the graceful palm trees of Lian Yu, the atmosphere in the Lair was tense for weeks.

John Diggle was no dummy. Something had happened between Oliver and Felicity around the time they ended the Siege of the Mad Australian and his Mirakuru soldiers. He wasn’t sure what it was, but John figured it had something to do with how Felicity was kidnapped by Slade in order to inject him with the cure. The whole thing had come from out of nowhere, from his perspective, but Oliver didn’t seem surprised. Now, the third, and most stoic, member of Team Arrow wondered what had transpired to set those events in motion, resulting in a very awkward vibe between his partners.

Lyla, his own love, shook her head and clucked “UST” when he confided in her about the situation. So, Diggle stayed away from the Lair a little more often now. He hoped that by giving the two of them some time together, they might work through whatever rough patch they were having and maybe, just maybe, Oliver Queen would pull his damn head out of his ass and ask the girl out. And he certainly didn’t want to walk in on them resolving anything.

That wouldn’t be today. He found them sitting at a table, playing cards strewn haphazardly in front of them. Oliver was scrubbing his face in frustration and Felicity sat opposite him, arms folded across her chest. She looked pissed.

“Hey Guys, what’s going on here?” John tried to sound as light and breezy as he could with his baritone.

“Nothing,” was Oliver’s immediate response, but his colleague was having none of that.

“Oliver asked me to teach him how to count cards. I think he thought it would be easy.”

“People count cards all the time,” Oliver piped up.

“Not really, Oliver. It’s frowned upon and it does take a bit of talent.”

John, finding himself inexplicably drawn in, leaned against a nearby bench.  “And why do you want to learn how to count cards?” 

Oliver turned to face his other partner while Felicity shuffled multiple decks like a dealer.  “There is someone I need to look into in Macau. An associate of Slade’s who owns a casino there. We still don’t know if Slade shared his Mirakuru formula outside of Starling. But this person would know. His casino is a front for an arms operation.”

“So, Oliver has to infiltrate a gambling operation and he thinks being able to have an advantage is necessary,” she added.

Diggle fixed his eyes on his beleaguered colleague. “Why don’t you just let Felicity do it? She’s the most experienced gambler.”

“Thank you!” She sounded both grateful and exasperated. Apparently this was not an unfamiliar suggestion. Unfortunately, it only elicited a grumpy sigh from Oliver “Heart Eyes” Queen.

“It’s too dangerous.”

“Why do we keep having this conversation, Oliver? I’ve gone in the field for missions before. Even to a casino.”

“Yes, you did. And when you got made, you were nearly beaten by the guys in the back room. I only got there just in time...”

Felicity rolled her eyes and prepared to rebut.

“I might regret suggesting this,” Diggle interjected, “but why don’t you both go? Oliver, you can look into things while Felicity establishes credibility at the gaming tables?”

Felicity mouthed “thank you” to John and then turned to Oliver with a raised brow. The Arrow huffed back and crossed his arms, obviously not happy with the suggestion.

#######

Felicity enjoyed gambling. When she was a child she liked to play bingo with her maternal grandmother and got a taste for triumph. She enjoyed her casino adventures while living in Las Vegas, making extra money to cover the household bills, before an overzealous pit boss at Harrah’s stopped underestimating the lucky young woman with the glasses. The thrill carried on into adulthood. In some way, her day job and her night job still scratched her itch for numeric probability problems. Truth be told, if she was a risk-averse person, she would never have signed on to Team Arrow for the long term.

Even though the prospect of going undercover in a Macau casino was thrilling to Felicity, she still found her nerves surging during the dreadful flights from Starling to Macau International Airport. Thank god for Benzos. She noticed Oliver watching her like a hawk, undoubtedly concerned she might croak before they arrived, but he had no idea it was his intense gaze that made her anxious in the first place, not the prospect of play-acting in a nest of bad men.

#######

When they were just two hours away from their final destination, Oliver quietly rasped into her ear. It was definitely sobering. He was sitting rightthere. Yes, he was in the seat next to her. But those seats on commercial aircraft were just too damn close.

“Felicity, do we have anything else on Myles Crofton? Anything we might be able to use to find out if he was in touch with Slade? Or leverage him, maybe?”

“You asked me that last night, Oliver. No. That is why we are on this hellish trip right now. I really have to get into his office. I need to check every aspect of his digital life on the scene to find out definitively. And if it works out that he’s got a fridge full of Killer Soldier Juice, you get to smash it all up.”

“And him.”

“Whatever works for you.”

 “Do we need to nail down our cover story, Felicity?”

She couldn’t help but loll her head to the side in disbelief, like she did so many times when he was being ridiculous.

“Oh, you mean the cover story where you are a globetrotting playboy from Miami and I am your nerdy personal assistant who happens to be amazingly lucky at the tables? That one?”

Queen’s features morphed to discontent. “Felicity.”

“It’s okay,” she sighed. “Everything will be fine. Except I changed my name again for this mission. It’s Pandora Fleece.”

“What?!” Oliver schooled his voice after his outburst. “Why is your name Pandora Fleece? It was Ginger something before.”

Felicity grumbled. “Exactly. You could never remember it. You will remember Pandora Fleece.”

“I don’t know if I can call you Pandora with a straight face.”

“Call me Panda, then. It’s shorter and more familiar. I am your right hand, after all.”

“Okay, Panda.” Oliver couldn’t help but remember the panda flats Felicity used to wear. They were charming and quirky. Suddenly, he was warming to the name and a smile was pulling at his lips. Then his mind snapped back at her voice again.

“You are still Archer Middleton. It sounds like money.”

“Archer?”

“I get to have fun sometimes.”

“Sounds like a trust fund douche I went to school with.”

“You were the douche you went to school with,” she smirked. “At least according to TMZ.”

Oliver grimaced at her. “Can it be something else?”

“What, like James Bond?”

At that, Oliver couldn’t help but grin a little. He looked at her expectantly.

“No, you can’t be James Bond.”

Defeat crossed his face and Felicity watched it with some amusement.

“No matter how good you look in a tux,” she added with a faint twinkle in her eye before sitting back in her seat.

Oliver registered the compliment and puffed his chest out, ever so slightly. He knew she liked it when he wore a tux.

Ever since the team had come back from Lian Yu, the sync between him and his Girl Wednesday had felt off.  He was worried their relationship would never go back to the way it was before that night in the foyer of Queen Mansion – the night when he admitted that he loved her. He said the words out loud for Slade’s benefit, but they had been true. Then he got scared and took the “out” Felicity had given him on the beach and they hadn’t spoken of it again. Oliver still loved her, but he couldn’t help recalling how she looked with Slade Wilson’s sword pressed to her throat. She was taken because of his feelings for her and Oliver never wanted that to happen again. Keeping her at a distance personally would assure that.

Still, he really enjoyed it when they were in sync, working together and making things happen as a team. He felt the inklings of that connection returning now. Maybe.

#######

Macau was going to be a challenge. As soon as they landed, Felicity discovered that the airline had misdirected their bags, which shouldn’t have been surprising, given the chaos of the airport and their connections. The airline assured her they would find the luggage and forward it to the Metropol Casino and Resort as soon as possible. But Felicity didn’t know how long that actually meant in Macau time.

The check in at the hotel was similarly difficult. They were waiting in line for the front desk several minutes. Felicity couldn’t help but notice how the women around her were dressed. Even in one of her better day dresses, she felt a bit grubby and desperately hoped her suitcase would arrive soon. When they finally got their turn at the desk, they were informed that the two-bedroom suite Felicity had booked was not yet available. There were vociferous apologies for the wait. Oliver suggested they go to the adjacent underground mall to shop in case their bags were not returned in time for their evening at the casino.

#######

It felt good to walk after being cooped up on a plane for most of a day. The two of them trekked the length of the mall before Oliver steered a hesitant Felicity into one of the high-end dress shops.

It was a fairly large boutique with clothing at one end and accessories, primarily shoes, at the other. Still, the offerings were sparse.

“Why is it the expensive places have the fewest clothes on display?” Felicity remarked, making him huff a laugh. It was then that he noticed a striking red gown. Felicity followed his eyes to it. Then she looked at him and he quirked an eyebrow.

“No,” she whispered as he picked up the dress. “That is not an assistant’s dress. It looks too fancy.”

“Just try it.”

As if by magic, an attentive shop attendant appeared to facilitate the process.

“May I help you?” The attendant was clever enough to direct his question to Felicity. If the woman wasn’t keen on purchasing, it was unlikely to happen. But sometimes the husband or boyfriend or lover or “uncle” could be influential, so the lanky man with dark eyes waited.

“Yes. Could you help Ms...Fleece, please?” Oliver asked.  “The red.” He directed with his gaze.

“Excellent.”  The man smiled widely. “My name is Claude and I am pleased to be able to assist you today.”

Then Claude did a strange thing. He snapped his fingers. Suddenly, a younger man appeared with a black Lucite tray. Perched on it were two glasses of pink sparkling wine and several luscious strawberries.

Felicity was suddenly afraid she would blow their cover before the op had even begun. The alcohol looked very appealing right now, so she took a glass and nodded to Oliver. He did the same and offered his billionaire smile with a quiet toast.

“This way, Ms. Fleece,” Claude bowed before turning. Felicity urged Oliver to take her handbag with a deadly look, then she followed the man toward the stylishly appointed fitting rooms. She looked over her shoulder just once to see Oliver snagging a berry off the tray and biting into it with gusto while clutching the purse to his chest. Claude waved Felicity towards an open cubicle.

“I will be right back with your gown.”

“But don’t you need to know my size?” Felicity volunteered.

“Trust me, Ms. Fleece. I have been doing this for a long time. I already know.”

Claude nodded respectfully and disappeared for three minutes before returning with the dress in exactly the right size. At least in most of the places that mattered. It looked a bit long in the fitting room.

Meanwhile, out on the floor of the shop, Oliver needed to wait. There were places to sit down, comfortable velvet armchairs, but he had been sitting for what felt like days and that seemed like the last thing his body wanted to do. So, he wandered around and looked over the accessories. They made him think of his sister Thea and what a clotheshorse she always was.

Thoughts of his sister left him when Oliver watched Claude lead Felicity out of the fitting room and toward a pedestal in front of a bank of angled mirrors. The sight of her in the dress stole all of his words and much of his sanity. Felicity was beautiful, for sure, whether she was dressed practically for her day job or covered in grime for their night work. But in this dress, she was possibly the loveliest woman he had ever seen. It wasn’t the fabric that floated around her legs or the cut that showcased her feminine curves making her so striking. In truth, it was a fairly conservative dress in terms of its high neckline and long sleeves. It was the way that the dress was obviously affecting her. She looked attractive, sexy, confident - all the things that drew Oliver to her since he met her, all at once.

Oliver watched Claude help her step up onto a pedestal, a momentary flash of leg peeking through the slit that went up above her knee. He also couldn’t help but fixate on her back. The dress was open and revealed the most attractive shoulder blades he had ever seen. Who obsessed over shoulder blades? He was obviously in trouble. When she turned to him with a quizzical look, he hesitated to speak until...

“You need shoes,” he volunteered. In a flash, he moved to the opposite end of the store to get his head screwed on right and find the perfect heels for the dress he had already decided she was getting whether she liked it or not.

#######

Felicity watched Oliver scurry away with confusion. The dress was amazing, yet he hadn’t said a word about it. Truthfully, she really didn’t need his input. She knew the gown was fantastic as soon as she stepped into it. It made her feel incredible, even if the hem was dragging. Felicity enjoyed swishing the fabric back and forth. It was just a tad mature for her, but she liked that about it. It made her feel womanly in the best way.

A few moments later, her partner in justice reappeared beside her wearing an inscrutable look. He couldn’t take his eyes off her in the mirror. But before Felicity could ask him what was on his mind, Oliver produced a pair of sparkling gold sandals. The heels looked high, but not impossible. Felicity grinned and nodded.

What Oliver did next almost sent her toppling off her perch. He put his hand through the break in the dress, the slit, and found her bare foot. Then he moved to push the fabric away so he could place the shoe down. Without a word, he encouraged her to grasp his shoulder while he helped her slip her foot into the sandal. She never once left her place on the pedestal.

It was an overwhelming sequence of events for Felicity - Oliver being so unexpectedly familiar and thoughtful, so physically intimate in a way. With great effort she continued to breathe until the “shoe event” was over and she could stand to admire what the newfound height was adding to the overall look of the dress. But it was a little hard to focus with Oliver standing just behind her, according to the mirror, staring at her like...she always belonged up there.

Claude broke the tension by piping up, “It appears just a minor alteration to make it perfect, Ms. Fleece.”

Oh yes, there was someone else in the room. Felicity made moves to climb down from her perch and Oliver rushed to assist her. Then he directed his attention to their salesman while she reached for her chirping purse that Oliver left sitting on a nearby table.

“You can have it ready for this evening and sent up to our suite?” Oliver replied with a question that was actually a definitive statement.

Claude, accustomed to such requests from high-value clients, responded in the affirmative while Felicity grimaced at her phone screen.

Oliver shifted his attention to his Girl Wednesday. “What?”

“I was going to fight you about buying this dress, but this text says we won’t have our bags until tomorrow morning.”

“Dammit.”

“We’ll need to find you a suit.”

Claude ushered Felicity back to the changing area where an energetic older Asian woman named Margot, who couldn’t have been more that four and a half feet tall, appeared to measure for quick alterations. Margot disappeared while Felicity changed back into her regular clothes, but then appeared outside the changing room door as she was leaving.

“Miss, you will take these.” The lady was wearing a mysterious smile and carefully presented Felicity with a pair of red satin panties.

Felicity couldn’t help blushing and she may have actually sputtered, “I don’t know...” She bit her bottom lip and reached out for the undergarment.

“No charge” Margot continued, her eyes twinkling. “You have a red dress, Miss. Also, there is a long tradition in Macau. The color red is good luck in our culture. But it is considered very fortuitous to wear the red panties when you are gambling. For gentlemen, it is good luck to carry in the pocket.”

“Seriously? Men here have ladies’ panties in their pockets?”

“As I said, Miss. It is a tradition. And here in our shop we think they must be given as a gift in order to have the most luck. You cannot purchase good fortune, after all.”

At that, Felicity shook her head. She recalled how superstitious gamblers were in Vegas. It was nothing to scoff at. Often much was riding on the most inconsequential-seeming details in a game.

“May I have two pairs?”

Margot laughed and nodded. “They will be sent up with your gown, Miss.”

When Felicity emerged from the changing area, she discovered that Oliver had found her a serviceable clutch to match the shoes. He was full of surprises today. She thanked him for his effort and offered an inscrutable smile as she thought about Margot’s offering. It was a naughty secret and she liked that.

Felicity would have offered extended commentary about how proud Thea would be regarding Oliver’s shopping chops, but she got distracted sorting out the particulars of making her purchase with bitcoin. When they planned to come to Macau, she researched currency and learned that many places accepted it and it was a good way to stay under the radar financially and maintain their pseudonyms. Once the transaction was successful, they thanked Claude and headed out to sort out Oliver’s clothing.

#######

After a bit of internet searching, Felicity steered Oliver across a covered courtyard toward the Dolce and Gabbana boutique.

“Do I really need to buy? I’m sure there is somewhere here I can rent a tux...Panda?”

Oliver thought he might get points for using Felicity’s alias. Unfortunately, his statement just caused her to stop moving outside the shop entrance, which immediately got his attention. Okay, he might have sounded just a bit whiney.

“Have you seen you, Archer?” She stared into him with consternation and seemed a bit frustrated.

The Arrow’s response was a quirked eyebrow and a huff.

“Sorry, Mister Salmon Ladder, I-like-to-clobber-things-with-a-sledgehammer-for-funsies. While turning yourself into a weapon is probably a satisfying effort, and I’m not complaining about watching you do it, no Sir-ee, the sad fact is that you do not have an off-the-rack body. You need something designed for an athletic build, like a _really_ athletic build, otherwise you will look ridiculous. I just hope they carry something in size Extra Massive.”

At that, Oliver couldn’t stifle a wide grin. “Extra Massive?”

 “Shut up,” she huffed.

Oliver opened the glass door for her and gave her a serious look. “You better go ahead. I’m not sure I’ll be able to fit through.”

With an exasperated chuckle, because Oliver rarely joked and she actually appreciated the effort, she murmured loud enough for him to hear, “I could also have been referring to your head, Archer.”

#######

There were was one other patron in the exquisitely-styled boutique, a beautiful woman in her late 30’s, dressed expensively and lounging in one of the white wingback chairs placed in the center of the store.

Felicity passed the front counter, nodding to the slim, European sales manager. He was young, but had the slicked black hair and pencil mustache of a silent film star. He also had an impossible to identify accent.

“Madame, I will be with you in just a moment.”  He smiled, professionally, gathering some inventory papers for a filing box.

“Of course,” Felicity responded, well, Pandora Fleece did. She needed to practice her character. “You accept bitcoin,” she added with a raised eyebrow. It was a statement.

“Absolutely, Madame,” he responded. He then directed his attention to the lady in the chair. “Do you need anything, Miss Chen?”

“No, thank you,” the woman sighed in a vaguely British accent. “He was detained in a meeting, but he will be down in ten minutes. I’m just going to enjoy some peace and read the news.”

“Of course, Miss Chen.”

Meanwhile, Felicity took charge of the “suit situation.” There was no question about that. It could have been a newfound confidence gained in her own recent purchase experience, a lack of fear borne of jet-lag, or the three glasses of champagne she consumed in lieu of lunch.

Oliver decided it was best to give “Pandora” carte blanche to shop on his behalf. She’d worked up a head of steam and he knew better than to challenge her. In truth, he was tired and hoping sincerely that there might be an opportunity to rest in the suite before the evening’s excitement.

Felicity headed straight for the tuxedo rack and began examining every sample. Her fingers slipped along the fabrics and she hoisted one up for a better view.

Soon, the salesman joined her. Oliver watched from a few paces away, curious to see their interaction. He never really liked shopping for himself. Since he returned from his years away from Starling, he let Thea pick out most of his clothes. He didn’t even go to stores. Clothing just turned up on his bed every few weeks. He tried it on and if it fit and he liked it, he put it in his closet. If he hated it, he made sure Thea returned it after giving her a good headshake.

“We need something for Archer for the casino tonight,” she offered after the sales associate Javier introduced himself. “I understand you have some cuts that might suit his build. He works out. A lot.”

The man directed his attention to Oliver, who blanched uncomfortably. At first, Javier eyed the Arrow as if he was the entire dessert case at the Cheesecake Factory, but he soon schooled his features. He knew his job and the perfect tuxedo for this customer’s exceptional physique.

“Please follow me, Sir. We’ll get you outfitted and then,” Javier said as he turned back to Felicity, “we will show you the look. I think you will be very satisfied, Mrs...”

“ _Miss_ Fleece. Pandora Fleece,” she rushed, her cheeks pinking with embarrassment. The man was definitely not her husband. Nope.

Oliver deployed an unreadable expression.

“Miss Fleece.” Javier bowed slightly and signaled for Oliver to follow him to the changing area of the store.

Once the men were out of sight, Felicity felt her energy waning a bit and was delighted to sit in one of the upholstered chairs D&G so conveniently provided for her comfort. She idly studied her phone, checking up on various searches. But, she also prided herself on situational awareness, so she noted the other lady in the shop. This seemed like a good place to try out her persona and the woman looked unthreatening. Plus, her shoes.

“Your shoes are gorgeous,” Felicity announced, gesturing to the woman’s pumps. Because they were beautiful Manolos.

The dark-eyed woman looked up at the blonde woman and smiled genuinely. “Thank you. I know they are plain, but I like the classics.”

“Timeless design,” Felicity offered. This earned her an even more enthusiastic grin.

“Exactly.”

Felicity was feeling a bit more confident now that she had broken the ice. “I’m Pandora. Panda, for short.”

“Charming. I’ve never met someone by that name before.” She spoke in a very refined accent and conveyed an exotic beauty.  “Celeste.”  The lady moved to a chair closer to Felicity and leaned in.

“Very nice to meet you, Celeste.”

“I couldn’t help hearing you mention bitcoin...”

“Panda,” she reminded her. “Yes, I am fascinated by cryptocurrencies and I’m really enjoying how much flexibility it’s giving me, particularly doing business here in Asia.”

“Panda. My, that’s fun to say. My boyfriend is considered an expert in digital currencies.”

“Yes?”

“To be honest, I have a hard time feigning interest. I’m a Creative. Interior design. All he talks about is KlickEx-this or bitcoin-that these days. Of course, whenever I complain, he just mentions that...”

 “It pays for the shopping, sweetheart.” A man’s voice filled the space.

Felicity and Celeste turned their attention to a very tanned man in a crisp white shirt, blue blazer and black jeans. Felicity was confident every piece of his wardrobe, including his socks, cost more than her paycheck at Queen Consolidated. His teeth were perfect. Felicity noted that his hair swooped in a graceful way across his forehead. Everything about him was perfect, even the way he removed his sunglasses, which he had likely worn for a ten-yard cruise across the courtyard.

“Darling,” Celeste got up and met her significant other as he approached. He gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“Celeste, love, I have to be in a meeting with the investors in five minutes. I hope you haven’t bought out the store.”

“No, the last time I tried to buy a shirt without your input you became peevish, which is completely ridiculous considering I am the one who gets paid to choose fabrics every day. Still, I have learned my lesson.”

“Good.” The man and Celeste exchanged playful smiles with each other.

“Darling, this is Panda. She’s apparently a tech wizard. She knows about your bitcoin. We must invite her and her boyfriend to join us for dinner.”

Felicity felt alarm strike. It’s true, she was kind of a tech genius, but Panda, assistant to a jet-setting douchebag, wasn’t. Or at least, she wasn’t supposed to be five minutes ago.

“Well, I don’t know about being a wizard,” Felicity offered, standing to meet Celeste’s preternaturally successful boyfriend. “I went to MIT, not Hogwarts,” she added.

“Isn’t she fantastic?” Celeste burbled. “Panda, this is my...Myles. Myles Crofton.”

Myles. Crofton. Possible bad guy, Myles Crofton. What were the chances? Oh, no more ridiculous than, say, crossing paths with the Count himself when you were out sleuthing dosed flu vaccines. Those kinds of chances.

The Smoak women were not known for having any sort of theatrical talents. Sure, there was a lot of drama, but none had ever hit the boards in earnest. Felicity’s mother, Donna, had dreamed of being a dancer at one time, but never an actress. And Felicity’s history in drama began and ended with an-ill conceived grade school performance of “Kids Rent” during which Felicity became so violently ill from performance anxiety that she was advised to never take the stage again. But now, faced with an audience of two, she was forced to pull the most effective poker face of her life.

“Hello, Panda,” the man reached out and shook her hand. An arms dealer and casino owner dressed like a cast member from Crazy Rich Asians shook her hand. Wow, her life was weird.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Myles.”

“Your first visit to Macau?”

“Yes, actually.” Felicity felt a pang of worry hit her. Was she already standing out as an interloper? Would their covers be believed?

“Panda is here to get a tuxedo for her young man.”

 “Yes. Our luggage seems to have been misplaced. I think it’s in Kathmandu.”

“How terrible.” The woman couldn’t help chuckling at Felicity’s joke. “But when tragedy strikes...”

“The tough go shopping,” Felicity finished with a giggle. “Unfortunately, my Archer is a bit high maintenance in the clothing department, so here we are.”

“Well, in my experience, when you look like that, you can be as impossible as you want,” the woman responded. “Not that I was ogling your man,” she added quickly. Still, Myles quirked an eyebrow.

“Do I have some competition, Celeste?”

“You never know, darling. It’s best not to become complacent. No offense, Panda.”

“None taken.” Felicity smiled, carefully, not wanting to escalate any tension between them. Humor was always the best solution. “Looking is free.”

As if on cue, Oliver emerged from the dressing room looking every bit the prized bachelor from the Mystery Date game. Only more dangerous. And much, much hotter.

Felicity’s heart leapt into her mouth and she felt like the ground was moving under her feet as she made eye contact with him. Oliver’s eyes grew bigger in response her curious expression. Then things got even weirder when Felicity turned to the couple.

“I don’t think you can afford him,” she added with a hilarious wink.

Why did she do that? Was she being territorial all of a sudden? Maybe she was. The last thing she needed was for Oliver to “pull a Rochev” (that’s what she called Oliver’s random hotel hookups with strange women, although to be fair, she was not aware there had been any since the woman that inspired the saying). No, she was NOT being jealous. She was only thinking about the mission. And Celeste wasn’t serious and her boyfriend was actually the mission.

There was a moment of silence when Felicity had no idea what might transpire next. She managed a smirk. And then, miracle of miracles, the woman smirked back and her eyes twinkled. Myles laughed, ever so slightly, still not sure if he had anything to worry about.

“I’m sure you are right,” Celeste replied, resolving the tension completely with an easy smile.

Felicity rushed toward Oliver and began touching him. His lapels. His arms. His tie. The studs on his shirt. Oliver had absolutely no clue what had gotten into her, but it was apparent there was something. He knew he should remain quiet and play along, but Felicity basically feeling him up felt like sensory overload.

“Is this acceptable?” he asked her with more than a little trepidation.

“Quite,” Felicity replied, her voice several octaves lower than usual. It was more like a deep groan.

A moment later, Felicity’s hand snaked around his neck and she raised herself up on the balls of her feet to kiss him.

What the hell was going on? It was like the entire world shifted while he was in the Dolce & Gabbana changing room. Oliver wasn’t complaining, of course, because Felicity’s lips were on his and that was something he had told himself he would never get to experience. But now as the desire flickered through his body, he felt himself wanting more of her. He lightly touched her shoulders with curious fingers. Then, just when he moved to envelop her, he was gratefully reminded that his arms were wearing strange clothes and they were in a boutique in a casino in Macau.

Oliver forced himself to gently end the kiss and pulled his face away, but not the rest of his body. After all, they had an audience. He swore internally. They were going to talk about this as soon as they were in the privacy of their hotel suite. Equal parts of anxiety and excitement threatened to take over at the prospect of being near Felicity Smoak and a bed while talking about kissing. Later.   

“Maybe I should get two,” Oliver quipped as he stared into her darkened eyes with a knowing look. Then he watched her recover not only physically, but emotionally, from what just happened. Felicity then pressed forward and rubbed her nose against his.

“Go with it,” she whispered first. “Whatever you want, baby,” she stated more loudly for onlookers. “Just make sure you get the suspenders. You know how much I like them.”

Oliver wondered for a moment then stepped back and tipped his head toward the other people in the room.

“Did you make new friends, Pandabear?”

Felicity smiled (okay, it was a grimace because…Pandabear?!), nodded and turned. Oliver placed his arm on her shoulder and brandished his best Ollie Queen trust fund smile, as they addressed the other couple.

“Celeste, Myles, this is my Archer.”

 

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity and Oliver deal with the aftermath of crossing paths with Crofton.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for turning up for Chapter 2. I hope you like it. Typos are all mine and hopefully not too offensive. Have a great day!

 Chapter 2  

“Archer, meet Celeste Chen, who has impeccable taste in shoes and her fellow, Myles Crofton.”

 Without missing a beat, Myles piped up. “I’m told she also has impeccable taste in boyfriends.”

 At the utterance of their target’s name, Oliver had tightened his grip around Felicity, just enough for her to notice. Then he offered his hand to the arm’s dealer with a perfect playboy grin.

 “Good to meet you, Myles.”

Myles offered the universal head nod that could have meant yes or the feeling is mutual. As with so many wealthy people, much was left to be interpreted. 

“Panda told us you’ve had some bother with your luggage.” 

“That’s right,” Oliver sighed. “Can you believe it?” He tried to seem put upon without coming off a complete dick so early in their interaction. If these two didn’t like him, they might shut down the obvious opening that Felicity had created for them.

“And since our room isn’t ready,” Felicity added, leaning into Oliver’s sizable shoulder, “it seemed like the good idea to spread a little cryptocurrency around the shops, although I guess since it’s all virtual it doesn’t actually spread.” 

Oliver held his breath. He loved Felicity’s rambles, but he didn’t know if they translated well in other cultures. His worries dissipated when Celeste chuckled and Myles cracked a smile. He watched the woman tug on her man’s sleeve and then give him a questioning look. Myles took note, shook his head, then wordlessly wandered away, raising his phone to his ear. Oliver was curious, but forced himself to remain partially attentive to the half of the couple that remained. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Myles. On his first call, everything seemed fine. Then, it was as though he was talking to someone else because he looked agitated. He didn’t raise his voice so they could hear, but he was seething for a moment.

“Archer, I know this is Panda’s first visit to Macau. What about you?” 

“I have a recollection of passing through once with my family, but it was decades ago. So much has changed since then. It’s incredible now. The architecture. The energy. The beautiful women,” he added pointedly. Felicity raised an eyebrow at him, at which he became very serious. “And by that I mean that Panda wasn’t here, so it was much less attractive then.” 

The two of them studied each other for a moment, then Felicity playfully prodded Oliver’s ribs.

“Good recovery there,” Celeste volunteered.

“Yes,” Felicity smirked. “My hero.”

 “Do you two have any dinner plans tonight? We would love for you to join us.”

 Felicity looked up at Oliver, her eyes twinkling. They needed to play it cool, but she really wanted to pump her fist in the air at this moment.

 “We don’t have plans tonight, do we Baby?” Felicity looked up at Oliver with a warm smile.

 “I think we do now, PandaBear. That is very kind of you, Celeste,” Oliver offered the woman a genuine smile. “I hope I won’t be overdressed,” he added, looking down at his tuxedo.

 “Nonsense,” Celeste replied. “It’s perfect.” She then directed her gaze to Felicity. "You have excellent taste, Panda."

Oliver felt Felicity’s hand slip between his shirt and his jacket and rest near his heart. He hoped she couldn’t feel it beating more violently than usual. What had gotten into her? The touching? Apparently Pandora Fleece was a lot more handsy than Felicity Smoak. He hadn’t even begun to process their earlier kiss. And what was that about Felicity having good taste? Before Oliver could question or protest, he was interrupted.

“That would be lovely,” Felicity responded to the other woman while softly running her fingers against Oliver’s expensive shirt-covered abs. 

Just then, Myles returned and took the hand of his beautiful Celeste. He wasn’t the only one who could be affectionate. Of course, the Americans were always a little too obvious about it in public. Celeste studied his face for information.

“I have had a word with the desk. Just go see the concierge. He will be looking after you personally.”

Felicity and Oliver expressed enthusiasm for their host’s kindness.

“No problem,” Myles replied. “One of the benefits of owning the place.”

“Oh, wow.” Felicity feigned surprise. She could not let on how much they already knew about the man. They were, after all, just tourists.

“Thank you,” Oliver added, “that’s very kind.” He offered his hand again with a sincere smile. Myles took it.

“Don’t mention it.” Myles turned to Celeste. “Darling, I am now running late for a meeting and I’m told the art consultant is upstairs. I’m afraid we are going to have to try this shirt thing another day.”

“Of course,” Celeste sighed. “Panda, I’ll have dinner details sent to your room.”

“That’s wonderful, Celeste. We are looking forward to it.”

xoxoxo

Once they had settled the details with Javier regarding the final purchase, arrangements were made to have Archer’s clothing sent up to their room via the hotel concierge. Throughout the transaction, the two generally avoided eye contact. There was much to be said, much to explain, but it had to wait until they were in private.

The two proceeded to the concierge station near the front desk and were greeted enthusiastically by a middle-aged woman named Kim who had jet black hair with a shock of white on one side. She smiled warmly and apologized far too much for inconveniencing them. When she signaled for them to follow her away from the desk, they realized she was going to escort them to their room herself. The two exchanged curious looks as they proceeded up an elevator to the 25th floor. The woman finally led them down a gold and red-hued hallway to a very opulent door. She swiped a metal card and it unlocked with a decisive click.

It was a suite. Not a junior suite like at the Marriott with a fold out couch, a sad desk in the corner and a couple of bottles of water. It was a full-fledged apartment, suitable for hosting visiting dignitaries. If they were sultans. The space had a dark Arabian Nights kind of vibe. Felicity found herself gawping, legit gawping, as the woman provided the grand tour of the rooms and amenities. Huge sitting area with tall windows. Massive bedroom with gigantic bed. Check. Large sitting room with fainting couch off the bedroom. Crazy fancy bathroom with a huge soaking tub and a rain shower. Check. Second fancy bathroom. Check. Pillows. Pillows. Pillows. Everywhere. Flowers. A chilled bottle of wine placed in a cooler on a wet bar. It just became more ridiculous with every moment.

“Excuse me, Kim. This is truly amazing, but it definitely isn’t what I reserved.”

 “Yes, Miss Fleece. Mr. Crofton would like you to stay in this suite. It is one he sets aside for his and Miss Celeste’s friends.”

“I am speechless,” spoke the young woman, who had eyeballed some of the finest accommodations in Las Vegas when she was young.

“Thank you,” Oliver volunteered, seeing the woman to the door. “This was a very generous gesture. We are so very grateful.”

The woman explained that she would have their purchases brought up when they were available and would call with details of their dinner plans. Oliver thanked the woman again and was grateful that tipping was not standard practice in Macau for this particular service, as he didn’t have any cash in his pocket. 

Once the woman was gone, Oliver kept staring at the closed door, collecting his thoughts before he turned to see Felicity sitting tentatively on an opulent couch, her chin resting on her hands. He considered his next move carefully and then acted swiftly, as he always did.

Oliver moved across the carpet and sat right down next to Felicity, invading her personal space. His warm body and even hotter breath tickled her ear and she gasped. The look in his eye was curious, even to her, and she had seen all of his expressions - or so she thought. It was like he wanted her. But that couldn’t be right. Just as she became uncomfortable with his gaze and attempted to shift away, Oliver grabbed her arm and whispered into her ear.

“Can you sweep the rooms without anyone knowing?”

Felicity let out a relieved and in no small way disappointed sign and nodded. Soon, she was grabbing her phone from her bag and touring their digs again, chatting mindlessly about the decor and the amenities, all the while checking for listening devices and cameras. It was unlikely their space would be monitored, but Oliver was right. It was good to check. After her circuit, she ended up in front of her partner, who was standing at a bank of windows, looking out on the Macau harbor in the afternoon sun.

“It’s clean,” she announced, brightly.

“Good.” His voice was flat. Tired, perhaps. But there was more to it. “I’m going to rest.”

With that, Oliver walked into the bedroom, past the bed and into the sitting room. He disappeared behind a closed door, leaving Felicity alone and unsure of what had just happened.

xoxoxo

Felicity knew something was off with Oliver. He hadn’t said more than a few words to her after they left Dolce & Gabbana and then he seemed to want to ditch her the moment they got into their insanely beautiful suite after looking at her with expressions she couldn’t decipher. Now he was asleep. An afternoon nap also seemed uncharacteristic of Oliver, but they had been traveling for 24 hours and it wasn’t unreasonable to imagine he could be wiped out.

Not knowing what to do next, Felicity first jumped on her tablet and made the necessary changes to their backstory support on the web to accommodate a quick alteration in cover stories, just in case. She also did some snooping on Celeste and soon discovered she was a very sought-after debutante in Hong Kong before coupling up with Myles Crofton.

A knock at the door signaled the delivery of numerous bags from the dress shop and D&G. Felicity had the stewards litter the living area with them.

Eventually, the lure of the amazing soaking tub in the master bath became a distraction. Felicity  gathered up her purchases and took up residence in what amounted to a marble temple. She helped herself to some of the high-end bath products that were provided on the counter, slipped into the tub, and finally felt herself decompressing from the many sharp turns of the day. But every time her mind started to clear, her thoughts drifted to that kiss. 

What had possessed her to do it? Was an epic lip-lock really necessary to sell their cover at that point? Or had she done it to mark her territory — as if Oliver Queen was hers? Felicity debated with herself about it for quite some time and then decided that, yes, the smooch had quickly and definitively established the credibility of their cover to the target of their mission and created greater potential for mission success since it led to an invitation to socially engage with said target.

Yep. That’s exactly what it did. The fact that Oliver’s lips felt so hot and strong against hers, while remaining curiously soft was irrelevant, as was the way he smelled — woodsy and masculine — even though he had been cooped up on a plane for a day. She could almost still feel it reverberating on her mouth. Imagine what an actual kiss with Oliver Queen might feel like, if a fake one had her knees buckling in a designer clothing store! She couldn’t bring herself to entertain that thought. Oliver wouldn’t kiss someone he could care about. She had to remember that.

Felicity also needed to remind herself that allowing her feelings to take over could be dangerous for her heart. And they were already surrounded by physical danger just being there in Hong Kong, thousands of miles away from home, trying to wheedle their way into the private business of a man who made an impressive fortune buying and selling devastating weapons. That man might have even procured Mirakuru and the potential to raise and army of nearly invincible killers.

This was simply no time to moon over her infuriating and attractive partner. There it was - the crux of her situation, clear as day. _Lives could be at stake, Smoak._ Pandora Fleece and Archer Middleton were just the masks they needed to wear to be heroes now.

After a solid soak, Felicity emerged from the water with a clearer head. She was back on mission now. Hyper-focused. Once she had finished fretting, she spent twenty solid minutes considering various scenarios that could transpire with Myles Crofton and devising ways to use them to gain access to his sensitive data. Ew. That sounded a little sexual. Her mind always found the worst ways to say something. 

Her first task was to fix her hair. She couldn’t decide how she would wear it for the evening. Up? Down? Straight? Curly. Being a lady uncover was not easy. She stared at herself in the mirror and grimaced.

Felicity distracted herself from the dilemma by rooting through the luxuriously-packed boutique bags and pulling out items she had sourced hours before. This included a flat box. Inside, there were three pairs of red satin panties nestled inside cream-colored tissue paper. Three. Huh. She had asked for just two pairs, but maybe Margot was feeling generous.

At first she snorted at them. Silly scraps of fabric. But then she reconsidered. Maybe they would be good luck. She could definitely use some if they were going to be successful on their mission. Who was she to turn down potential good fortune?

Relenting, she soon discovered she had underestimated them. Those ridiculous panties. How they would make her feel when she slipped them on. But the satin was perfect and rubbed deliciously against her skin. Looking at herself in the mirror…admiring herself…Felicity felt sexy and powerful. She didn’t know she needed this. God bless Margot. 

Still not sure what to do with her hair, she decided to do her makeup next. But she would need to retrieve her purse from the living area sofa first. She enveloped herself in a plush white terry robe emblazoned with the logo of the hotel and emerged into the master bedroom.

Her breath was stolen when she found Oliver sitting on the edge of the bed, facing the bathroom door. He was wearing his tuxedo, but was currently foregoing the jacket.  His tie was missing and his top shirt buttons open. His posture was deflated until he saw her and sat up straight. He didn’t speak. He just looked at her, carefully, studying her while Felicity tightened the belt on her robe and attempted to settle her breathing.

Neither of them spoke for the longest time. Felicity was waiting for Oliver to say something, perhaps to reveal what seemed to have him out of sorts earlier. Meanwhile, the Arrow’s face reflected a heavy storm, one that he couldn’t find the words to express.

“I…I just needed my purse,” she finally stammered, gesturing toward the main room. Suddenly, she was moving, scooting out to collect her bag.

Oliver’s eyes followed her as she rushed out of the room and snagged her purse from the coffee table. She returned wordlessly, steering herself back toward the bathroom. This felt beyond awkward.

“I was going to ask your opinion about how to wear my hair but since you don’t seem to be speaking to me…” she muttered, her back to him as she headed to the door. Then she heard his voice rumble, quiet and deep.

“Down.” He cleared his throat. “Your hair looks nice just like that.”

Felicity stopped and turned around.

“Okay,” she whispered.

Their staring contest reconvened. Oliver was winning like Secretariat. 

xoxoxo

Oliver had woken up from a short, but deep nap in the late afternoon and then brooded in a sitting room for at least an hour. Maybe two. Every that had happened earlier in the day with Felicity in the boutique played over and over in his head. He still hadn’t talked to her about the events that led to an apparent role reversal in their cover stories.

How had she connected with Myles Crofton so quickly and made such an impression that they were already invited to dine with him and his girlfriend? The obvious answer was…it was Felicity. She was remarkable, after all. He should have known better by now to even wonder. But he was still curious.

And then there was the damn kiss. She completely surprised him with that move. He knew it was probably necessary to establish some kind of relationship with Crofton and Celeste, but it was unexpected and unsettling. He really needed to talk to her.

He opened the door to the bedroom and realized she was using the bathroom. Rather than interrupt her, he wandered out into the living area and found the bags containing the purchases from Dolce & Gabbana. He took them to the extra bathroom before indulging in a relaxing shower.

After getting cleaned up, Oliver began digging through the bags. The shop had been aware of his luggage predicament and added a number of items he might need. There was a sample of aftershave and even a simple pair of pajamas. He didn’t wear pajamas, but maybe he should start. It appeared that the hotel had also chipped in some extra toiletries so he could trim his beard.

Oliver finished dressing, except for his jacket and tie, and wandered around the main room of the suite. Okay, he was pacing, considering what he wanted to say to Felicity and whether or not he could actually express himself, even if he got his shit together, as well as worrying that any kind of conversation now might be counterproductive to the mission. A dangerous mission.  Eventually, he ended up sitting in the bedroom directly across from the bathroom door, slumping a little in his designer clothes. It occurred to him that if Thea could see him, she’d give him all kinds of shit for wrinkling the Dolce.

It’s funny when you are waiting for something to happen and then when it does, you are still surprised. That’s how Oliver felt when the bathroom door swung open and Felicity emerged, barefoot and enveloped in a hotel robe. Suddenly, the situation, the job, felt so intimate. This was Felicity like she might be at home in the morning getting ready for work or dressing for a date with someone who wasn’t him.

And he had no words. Everything he had been going over in his head earlier seemed pointless and petty. All she had to do was stand there and look at him. Like that. He could tell when she blanched that he was probably making her uncomfortable with his silence. He knew that Felicity hated pregnant pauses. It was like her brain wanted to switch on and begin ruminating on a problem or a piece of code, but it couldn’t because there might be some pending exchange.

Felicity appeared to wait a moment, then she rushed into the other room. Something about her purse. Oliver took a steadying breath, no longer under scrutiny. Get it together Queen.

When Felicity came back into the room, she didn’t engage with him at all, but rather headed for the bathroom.

“I was going to ask your opinion about how to wear my hair but since you don’t seem to be speaking to me…” she said quietly.

Something in him cracked at that comment. It wasn’t that he wasn’t speaking to her. He simply didn’t know what…how to say anything when she was right there, shimmering like a terrycloth mirage.

She sounded offended. Say something, Queen. She never asked him how he liked her hair before and in all honesty, he liked it however she wore it. Wait? Did she say something about him not speaking to her? 

“Down.” He choked out. “Your hair looks nice just like that.”

Felicity stopped moving forward. She pivoted and looked right into his eyes, surprised. 

“Okay,” she whispered, tilting her head. 

A force — Oliver really had no idea what it was, or he didn’t want to name it — pulled him up off the bed and drew him toward her at the doorway like a magnet. And now she was looking up at him, her blue eyes blazing with curiosity. 

“Why did you think…I wasn’t…I didn’t know. I didn’t know what to say,” he exhaled, towering over her, but still seeming soft and sincere.

“Usually I’m the babbler, Oliver. That’s my thing. You wear the leather and put the fear of God in people.”

Felicity followed up her statement with a sweet smile, trying to defuse what had quickly become a tense moment. Oliver let out a breathy chuckle and looked at the ceiling to gather himself.

“I do that, don’t I?”

“You do, although if I’m being honest, I prefer you doing the former to the latter because leather is, you know,” she grinned, “hot and fear of God gets kind of arrowy and there’s blood. Not that it’s your blood. I mean, actually, usually it’s somebody else’s but it’s still gross and gets all over the leather, which is good.”

Oliver was shaking his head now. God, she was adorable.

“And I’m babbling again. Oliver you have to stop me when…”

“Felicity,” he spoke sharply. Then he grasped her arms at her elbows, holding her still. He had her attention now. “Earlier, you kissed me.”

Felicity’s eyes slammed shut for a moment. She couldn’t run, but she was definitely thinking about it. “I know. I’m sorry I couldn’t explain what was happening, but when I met Celeste we talked about cryptocurrency and it was a crazy coincidence that her boyfriend was involved in it and she wanted me to meet him and then there he was…freaking Myles Crofton himself and it felt like an unexpected opportunity and I should run with it.”

When her eyes opened, he was studying her face, looking at her with unexpected warmth.

“Felicity, look at me.” Oliver left hand disengaged from her arm and he gently placed his palm against her cheek. Felicity’s eye’s fluttered open.

“When we were at the house and I needed to get Slade,” Oliver said with a quiet, deliberate tone, “I said something to you…”

“It was just for the mission,” she volunteered, trying to button down her expression, which likely still reflected disappointment. “You gave me the syringe.”

Oliver shook his head and he sighed.

“It’s alright, Oliver. We have to say things sometimes that we don’t mean.”

“The natural thing for me to do to really sell the plan to Slade would have been to kiss you.”

Felicity avoided his glance as heat rose on her face. He was still cupping her jaw against his hand and she was enjoying that feeling. It was tender. Sweet. 

“But I didn’t want to do that,” he continued. Felicity turned her eyes up to meet his. If he was going to deliver bad news, they should just get it over with so she could go back in the bathroom and fall apart alone.

“Felicity, I’ve kissed a lot of girls. You could wallpaper a room with pictures from the tabloids of me doing thoughtless things and making an exhibitionist ass out of myself back before the island. But I’m different now. I didn’t want the first time I kissed you to be a ruse. I wanted it to be perfect and, just…I thought if it was ever going to happen, I wanted it to be real and I didn’t want to share that moment with anyone but you.” 

His beautiful partner’s eyes grew wider as she processed what he was saying.

“Oh. Oh, you wanted to…” her expression morphed from surprise to devastation. “Oh God. Did I ruin it? I did, didn’t I? I shouldn’t have…”

Her voice trailed and room became silent except for the hum of the air conditioning system.

Oliver watched Felicity’s eyes started to fill with moisture. His pulse rose with concern. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her. He leaned down and his eyes shined at her in a way he had never allowed in the past.

“No,” he rasped. “It was just practice. For this.”

Then he wrapped one arm around her shoulder and the other circled her waist, rubbing against the soft terrycloth belt of her robe. He tugged her closer and lowered his mouth to hers, seeking her lips with the lightest of touches.

When he felt her her body press against his, the anxiety in him relaxed a little. Then she tilted her head to find the perfect angle to answer his kiss and his heart surged beneath his crisp, linen shirt. Time slowed and Felicity’s purse met the ground with a dull, quiet, thud.

Oliver was barely aware that he was moving them, stepping back to the bed, lifting her and draping her across his lap as he sat down. He memorized everything from the exotic perfume of the soap she wore to the whimper she made when he reluctantly pulled away and rested his nose against the soft pink shell of her ear.

“Wow,” she gasped, followed by a “meep” noise signaling she had meant to keep that comment internal. Soon, Oliver’s body was shaking with a laugh he tried to stifle by pulling her closer.

“Yes, wow,” he added, honestly, and also to assure she didn’t feel alone in expressing appreciation because it was the best first kiss he’d ever had. It was the last first kiss he ever wanted. But he kept that to himself for now. 

Now, they had a serious mission. As much as he wanted to set that aside and focus on the woman in his arms, he knew that. 

“Oliver.”

“We should probably try to focus on tonight now. This dinner with Crofton. The sooner we get it done, the sooner we can talk about this and lots of other things.” 

Felicity studied his face and the way the corners of his mouth were turning up. He was right. She gave him a definitive nod.

 “Why don’t you go in there and finish getting ready?” he added.

 “Okay,” she sighed and ambled to stand.

 “Then you can tell me about our new covers, although I gather you are the lead on this now and I’m the boyfriend.”

 Felicity headed toward the bathroom, picking up her handbag along the way. She stopped when she got to the doorway and bit her lip. If she wasn’t still flushed from the kiss, he might have noticed her sheepish look.

 “Oliver…”

 “You did the right thing. I’m not thrilled that you are more involved than we planned, but you made the right call. And we’re partners. Sometimes that means that you’ll be the one out in front and I have to make peace with that. I’ll still worry, but you are remarkable. No matter what happens, I never forget that.”

 “Partners.” Felicity smiled at him, warmth and pride filling her. “Thank you.”

 Oliver beamed back at her and leaned back on the bed, supported by his elbows.

 Just as she was about to close the door, she peeked out. “I’ll wear my hair like this.”

 Good, he mouthed to her.

 “And it’s possible Celeste is under the impression that you are my boy toy.” She quickly shut the door, leaving Oliver to process her words and their ramifications.

 “Felicity,” he groaned, then flopped against the bed.  

 

To be continued...

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things heat up on all fronts as dinner with their dangerous target proceeds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for your ongoing support and patience on this story. It's taking me some time to get it out. I struggled a lot with this particular chapter and it's a lot longer than I anticipated. Sometimes, a chapter just wants to be more. So, hopefully you will have a seat and enjoy your favorite beverage. Cannot express enough my appreciation to TinaDay3w, a faultless friend and complete Beta rock star. Her unwavering encouragement and thoughtful editing helped me through the dry spots and the happy bits equally. Thanks, Hon. 
> 
> So, burgeoning Olicity rolls on here. Hopefully with some fun and some sparks. 
> 
> Please enjoy this chapter. The Arrow characters are not mine, but I like to play with them. It only belongs here on Ao3. Please let me know if you see it posted elsewhere.

Chapter 3 

Felicity emerged from the master bathroom wearing the gown she had purchased hours earlier. It had been altered for her height and fit perfectly. Oliver was speechless for a moment. Then he told her she looked gorgeous, which drew a nervous blush from her. He found himself fighting the urge to comment about how stunning she was several more times. Oliver Queen had lost all game at this point and needed to remind himself that Felicity was unlike any other woman he had known and too many compliments might make her feel uncomfortable, even if they were sincere. 

Instead, he made a point to comment that her strategy for the evening’s dinner with Myles was sound, given that it included several contingency plans based on reacting to their dealings with the man. It was important to have alternate scenarios so it didn’t appear that they were manipulating him. 

Oliver walked Felicity to the sofa and sat her down to discuss the stakes of the evening one last time. He held her hands in his and leaned in to kiss her temple before looking her in the eye and relating a story about his own past run-in with an arms dealer in the Ukraine. This type of criminal was not to be trifled with just because he seemed like a gentleman. These guys often carried themselves as continental businessmen and could even seem charming and sociable, but behind that veneer they lacked conscience. They were paranoid about their own safety and usually surrounded themselves with lethal bodyguards who had hair-triggers when it came to protecting their meal tickets. 

Felicity nodded to assure him she understood. Their dealings with Myles should remain light and breezy to ensure they stayed safe.

“So, are you feeling okay about tonight? We can back out if…”

“I’m good. I know I don’t have a lot of practice, and I understand that Myles is potentially very dangerous. I get it. But I can do this. We can do it together.”

Oliver pulled her into his arms and pressed his mouth against her hair. 

“I hope you know that I have total confidence in you,” he murmured. “It’s the variables I can’t control that worry me.” 

Felicity sunk into him, enjoying the feel of his strength surrounding her. “After everything that happened back in Starling, we need to be sure that Mirakuru can’t do any more damage, Oliver.”

He nodded wordlessly, sighing and enjoying the feel of her against him for several minutes. 

“So, tell me.” His voice was soft and his breath warmed her as he rasped. “Exactly what kind of companion is Archer to Miss Fleece?” 

“Uh.”

Oliver gently nuzzled her neck. 

“Am I just a kept man? Or am I…on retainer?”

This drew an embarrassed squeal out of his companion. The combination of the question and Oliver’s hot and heavy proximity made her brain fritz. 

“Um, the first one, of course! I would never, I mean Pandora Fleece doesn’t…she wouldn’t…I mean, not that there’s anything wrong with a woman who does because we are all responsible for our own sexual satisfaction, right? But…but, she doesn’t.”

Oliver pulled back and looked at her beautiful face. He sighed. 

“So, it’s a relationship based on…what? Mutual gratification?” He offered her a mildly wolfish grin, which she accepted, snagging her bottom lip in her teeth. 

“Well, Archer doesn’t want for anything, if that’s what you’re asking,” she answered, standing up. 

Oliver quite obviously gave her entire outfit a predatory once over. Even with the confidence she exuded in the dress, Felicity Smoak still had no idea how dangerous she was to him.

“That sounds quite nice. What does Panda get in return?”

“Trust me, Panda gets everything she wants, too.” Felicity appraised him right back, then sashayed over to a table to snag her purse. She knew the dress had a particularly nice view from the back and made sure Oliver took it in. 

Felicity opened her purse one more time for a check. Satisfied with the contents, she snapped the bag closed again.  

“Remarkable,” was all he had to say from his perch on the sofa. He wished there was no mission, no threat. He really just wanted to order a bottle of wine and a nice meal to be brought to their room and explore this new chapter they seemed to be embarking on. 

xoxoxoxo

“This dinner is supposed to be fun. If you don’t find your smile soon…Archer, I might have to tickle you,” Felicity whispered as her fingers teased the warm ribs hidden beneath Oliver’s jacket. 

As he stood in the elevator now, dressed in his expensive new tuxedo with a breathtaking woman pressed up against him, Oliver felt like the horrors of Lian Yu and the tortures of Moscow were a thousand miles and years behind him. Still maintaining a serious look, he eyed Felicity’s golden reflection in the shiny closed doors on the ride down to the lobby. They were miraculously alone, but it wouldn’t last long. 

“And if you don’t stop touching me like that, I might have to kiss you again,” he growled. 

“And ruin my lipstick? You wouldn’t dare,” she replied with a delicate snort that drew a grin across Oliver’s face. 

The elevator stopped and several young Asian businessmen entered, bringing the energy of their night out with them. Oliver pressed closer to Felicity, touching her in as many places as he could. It was protective and reflexive. He knew they were not a threat to her, but his subconscious was already gearing up for the possibilities of the evening ahead. He focused on feeling her breathing against him and he liked it very much. 

xoxoxoxo

It was hard not to become drunk on Oliver Queen, Felicity mused to herself as they descended in the elevator car. The heat emanating from his powerful chest, smooth cotton pulled taut across the hard planes of his muscles beneath his suit, the soft rumble of his low voice reverberating in her ear, the way he smelled of warmed citrus, spice and amber, all combined to seduce her senses. 

Felicity was still reeling from the hotel room. First, that amazing kiss in the bedroom, then the mind-blowing revelation that Oliver had wanted to kiss her since that night in the mansion, followed by their recent flirty flirt on the couch. 

She _fracking_ loved Macau today and all of the surprises this trip was delivering. 

It felt wonderful to indulge her raging hormones for the ride down to the lobby. Felicity especially enjoyed the moment when other passengers entered and Oliver pulled her impossibly closer. It was a kind of paradise she had only fantasized about since joining his cause. After the ordeal with Slade and how many times she had been in harm’s way since joining Team Arrow (as she liked to call it), she had learned to cherish rare moments of fleeting perfection and hold onto them. 

Eventually, the descent ended. The doors slid open and Felicity patted Oliver’s chest one last time before disengaging from their closeness. 

“Showtime, Panda,” Oliver whispered. He escorted her into the hotel lobby, his hand sliding down her arm and linking his fingers in hers. 

His clasp was strong. Felicity drew confidence from it and moved forward, wearing the gown that, years before, would have dwarfed her self-esteem. She was strong and capable. She was a badass. And this mission was going to be successful because she would do her best. Mirakuru would never ruin anyone else’s life. 

They were greeted once more by Kim, who stood a few feet away, obviously awaiting their arrival. A professional smile graced her face. Oliver wondered if the woman knew the kind of man she worked for. 

“Miss Fleece! Mister Middleton! So beautiful. Please follow me. You will be joining Mister Crofton and Miss Chen in his private dining room this evening.”

Oliver nodded in agreement and Felicity smiled warmly as they set off through the casino. He flexed his grip on her hand. A private dining room meant new possibilities and new dangers. 

The sights of people huddled around colorful tables and the sounds of roulette wheels, music, and shouting would have been distracting if Felicity had not spent her youth immersed in a similar setting. If anything, the chaos of Las Vegas had helped to hone her concentration – something she definitely needed tonight. She kept her eyes on Kim, who continued to make eye contact with her as they walked past the gaming. This way, Oliver was able to keep his head on a swivel and take in everything and everyone around them who might be a potential threat. 

Eventually, they made their way to a wall covered in red drapery. A tall, steely man of Mediterranean descent stood by it. Oliver’s glance took in the stoic look on his subtly scarred face – likely from shrapnel taken a decade earlier. The sentry was obviously a survivor and that was worth noting. The man nodded to Kim, then pulled on a fold of the curtain, revealing a hidden entrance. Felicity reacted with slight anxiety, masked in excited wonder. 

“Ooh, look Archer. A secret door.”

Oliver pressed his hand against Felicity’s exposed back in an act of reassurance that caused a cascade of tingles to erupt on her bare skin as they ventured through the doorway.

xoxoxoxo 

The opulent Asian motif of the hotel and casino carried through to the decor of the private dining room. After pleasantries and compliments were exchanged, after the spectacular night view of the lights of Macau was admired through a bank of windows, the couples sat down for dinner at a table sized for an intimate dinner for four. 

“This is a magnificent resort, Myles. Our suite is absolutely wonderful,” Felicity spoke with confidence. The truth was always a good place to start. 

“Yes,” Oliver added. “Incredible.”

“I feel like I’m in a James Bond movie!” Felicity added.

Celeste beamed at Myles and nodded to Panda and Archer. She seemed pleased to see that the couple were appreciative of the hospitality and that her instincts about people were right...again. 

A sommelier appeared and poured a very expensive red wine for everyone at the table. Archer and Panda were the subject of a thoughtful toast and then the delicious liquid was enjoyed. 

“Oh my,” Felicity sighed after relishing her first taste. “The perfection continues.”

“Myles is very proud of his wine collection. This is from his private cellar.”

“I envy you. I don’t seem to be able to stay in one place long enough to cultivate a cellar,” Felicity replied. “But traveling for business does give one the opportunity to enjoy wines from all over. This is Portuguese, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” Myles perked up. Suddenly, Panda’s worth was raised in his eyes. He studied her, perhaps a little too admiringly. Oliver couldn’t help but notice.

“So, did you and Myles meet here in Macau?” 

Myles attempted to stifle a sigh. Relationship questions were so tedious when someone else was doing the asking. He raised his glass to his lips and gave Celeste the practiced look that deferred the telling to her. 

“Actually, no. We met in Hong Kong, three years ago,” the woman quickly offered up in her beautifully cultured voice, each word like a polished pearl. Felicity and Oliver were entranced. 

“It was my first design event after graduation. Flowers figured prominently in the aesthetic. I received an exquisite bouquet of pink peonies after my collection premiered. Anonymous. Mysterious. All I knew was that it came from a sponsor. I thought the flowers were gorgeous, but I was also horrified because as far as I was aware, all of our sponsors were ancient. Old men. Since I didn’t know who they were from, I wasn’t obligated to thank anyone, which seemed a relief. But then three days later, I received more pink peonies. And then another bouquet. This went on for a month. I couldn’t imagine there was another peony left in the country.”

It suddenly occurred to Felicity that what she was hearing was a practiced story. Something from a romance novel. And completely fake. 

“Then,” Celeste continued, “I got a call for a design opportunity in a high rise in Sheung Wan. I went for the interview and when I entered the office, Myles was there and the room was filled with peonies. It was then we met and I learned that he was the sponsor. He was charming and swept me off my feet.” 

Felicity “oohed” on cue. She watched Oliver tip his glass to Myles, as if to say, “good work”. She was sure he wasn’t buying a single word of it either, but they both knew it was important to maintain their facades. 

Of course, there was no discussion of Myles’ secret life seeking weapons to dangerous organizations, or Mirakuru, and Felicity began to wonder if Celeste actually knew everything about her man.

The observation gave Felicity a bit of a thrill. While she would never erroneously claim that she knew everything about Oliver — he still kept quite a bit of his past hidden — she felt like he confided in her and she knew quite a bit about his current life. This was quite a feat, given that Oliver was a masked hero at night, inclined to play things close to the vest, and he was slow to trust anyone.

“So, how did you two…get together?” Celeste sounded genuinely curious. 

There it was. The first and biggest test of the night. They needed to pass. Their lives might depend on it. 

Felicity finished a sip from her wine and put her glass down. She was prepared to answer when Oliver’s hand reached over and covered hers on the table. He gave her a smile.His voice was quiet, but gentle. 

“I’d like to tell them, PandaBear. If that’s okay with you.” He looked into her eyes with earnestness. 

“You would?”

Oliver rubbed her knuckles. “Yes, the real story.” 

Felicity’s eyes opened a little wider and she nodded silently in assent. She had no idea where Oliver was going, but she trusted him to get them both there safely. 

Archer Middleton directed his attention to Celeste and Myles. 

“When Panda tells people about us, about me, she’s very generous, which is her nature, I think. She’s a generous person.” He squeezed her hand. “But you two have been incredibly kind to us and it doesn’t seem right to be anything less than honest with you.”

Felicity held her breath, but tried to school her face to assure nothing he would say next would elicit her surprise. 

“As you might have guessed, we don’t have what most people would call a conventional…arrangement. I was brought up in a family that looked really amazing from the outside, but was actually pretty damaged. I didn’t know how to deal with that. Any opportunities I had, I squandered. I wasn’t good for much except showing off, really.”

This was quite close to Oliver’s truth and Felicity couldn’t help but watch him with deep admiration. Pride. He was leveraging his Ollie Queen persona of old, but with perspective, and for good, this time. 

“I did some things to survive that I wasn’t proud of. But then last year, I was kicking around LA, not doing a very good job staying out of trouble, hanging out at the Luxe and hoping somebody would buy me a drink because I was broke. So, the truth is, I’m not some businessman or a wannabe entrepreneur. That was my father.” 

Oliver squeezed Felicity’s hand and smiled at her while Celeste and Myles appeared quite rapt. 

“When I first saw this lady, she was reading a book by the pool. So, I walked up and asked her about what she’s reading. I figured I could wing it.”

Finally, Felicity spoke up with a smile on her face. “Astrophysics. I was boning up before going to the planetarium.” 

“Right, everybody does that,” he deadpanned. “I had to find the one girl not reading ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’. So I immediately realize I am out of my league and I excuse myself to sit in a cabana and think about my life choices. Then a little while later this guy, some old colleague of hers, showed up and started bothering her. Wouldn’t take no for an answer. I watched her completely tell him off. It was spectacular. But then he got angry. So I went back over and…”

“Put the fear of God into him,” she piped up. 

“I just suggested he might want to hit the road and avoid the possibility of bleeding. And he took this under advisement and hid in the men’s room before leaving entirely.”

“Hero,” Felicity beamed. “So I bought him a drink.”

“Also a hero,” he grinned back. 

“Then I bought myself several drinks because,” she smirked at him, “Archer was… different than the men I usually interacted with.”

He offered her an arched eyebrow, to the amusement of Celeste and Myles.

“Different? Irresistible.”

“Incorrigible,” she corrected him, accompanied by a cute snort. 

“I do have an eclectic skillset.” He delivered the line in such a fashion that it could only be interpreted as a double entendre. 

“Oh my god.” Felicity shook her head in mock outrage, but giggled the whole time. “So much trouble.”

This was exciting and new — flirting. Learning about Oliver’s feelings toward her had been a revelation earlier in the day, one that tipped the Earth on a different axis. She was still finding her footing. And now they could banter. Panda and Archer were bantering. 

“Hardly,” he replied, dryly, his eyes twinkling. 

“But he’s mildly entertaining. And if I squint really hard, he kind of looks like James Bond in a tux.” Her tone was playful as she smirked.

“You never did see the damned planetarium,” he added with a definite note of pride before raising her hand to kiss her knuckles seductively, eliciting a slight gasp. Panda recovered quickly and rolled her eyes for comic effect.

Their hosts responded with laughter. Panda and Archer were a lively couple - perhaps a bit unusual and, consequently, amusing. 

xoxoxoxo

Myles studied the couple with care. Being around gamblers and weapons buyers most of the time, it became second nature to observe people. Reactions. Body language. Panda hesitated when Archer kissed her hand. What was that? She didn’t seem like the type who eschewed public displays of affection - not after the way she kissed the man in the shop that afternoon. Still, it seemed odd that that she appeared awkward with him at that moment. 

He eyed Archer Middleton. If he had to describe the man, he would say he was basic. Not smart, but savvy. Way too good-looking. He had crossed paths with a lot of guys like that. Meeting this Panda woman was the highlight of his life so far. If he was smart, he would keep her interested for as long as possible. But she would definitely dump him for somebody serious down the road. A guy who was her equal. 

The hand thing niggled at him a little. Were they grifters, maybe? Then, during the main course, Panda started to talk about blockchain and cryptocurrency with some real technological acumen. She had plans for innovations. They weren’t bad ideas, actually. It got his brain firing for the rest of dinner. 

xoxoxoxo

Felicity knew she had messed up. Spectacularly. And it only took a split second. She had been caught off guard by Oliver’s affection. For a very brief moment she had been surprised in a situation she, Panda, should have been used to. And it was likely noticed. Not by Celeste. She was rearranging the napkin on her lap at the time. But it was possible that Myles saw. Maybe she was just being paranoid now, but Oliver had convinced her that paranoia was a necessary life skill. For the rest of the meal, even as she spoke about things she knew would entertain Myles, she considered how she might fix her blunder. 

She also couldn’t help spiraling about the circumstance of her mistake. How could the mere touch of Oliver’s soft lips on her hand cause her body to react like that? What would happen later when they were together, alone, in a romantic suite? Once again, discussion of Bitcoin and ways to enter the digital currency markets were a healthy distraction from the spiral of want that threatened to bubble to the surface. 

xoxoxoxo

Underneath the table, Oliver held tightly onto Felicity’s hand. He had moved their grasp out of view after she had reacted to his kiss. 

He should have prepped Felicity about some of the things he might do before they came downstairs. But, in his defense, he had been a little distracted. Her energy was radiant. She looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her. And now he knew what her lips felt like against his. How could he not be diverted? But then again, their physicality was still new and his affection surprised her. It was a simple touch, really. His mouth on the soft skin of her fingers. But it had affected her. Part of him was thrilled to draw a gasp from her and was keen to find out if he could do it again, in private. And part of him was terrified. 

It was his fault now if their covers were blown. Oliver wasn’t sure what might happen next. But then she recovered expertly. She began to engage Myles in conversation. She was amazing, his Felicity. 

xoxoxoxo

“You have some remarkable ideas, Pandora Fleece,” Myles commented, tossing his napkin onto the table in a gesture of surrender following their meal. 

“Thank you, Myles” she smiled, sipping the last of the dessert wine. 

Oliver beamed with pride. Felicity was incredible. When she was talking about complex financial and technical concepts, she was irresistible. She oozed confidence and her mind seemed of limitless capability. He would have been completely intimidated, if he hadn’t been so turned on. 

“It’s been a pleasure to hear a concept I’ve never considered for cryptocurrency before. I think this is the start of an ongoing conversation. Perhaps it might lead to some mutually beneficial business between us?”

Felicity had the good sense to appear complimented and surprised. She simply nodded at him. Meanwhile, Oliver, uncomfortable with the way Myles was looking at her again, shifted in his seat. Felicity sensed his annoyance and spoke up, an air of lightness in her tone. 

“Myles has a way with mixing business and pleasure, doesn’t he, Celeste?”

“Yes, he does,” the woman replied with a smirk. 

“So, do you two gamble at all? I mean, I know this is a casino, your casino, but it’s your business and that doesn’t necessarily mean you enjoy the games.” Felicity stopped talking as soon as she could. She really did. Oliver huffed a chuckle at her, leaned in, so as to not surprise her, and slipped his arm around her shoulders. 

“Sometimes,” Celeste smiled. She was relieved that the dinner conversation, which seemed a bit too complex for her liking, had ended. 

“I used to bet on baseball with my grandfather when I was a child,” Felicity offered. “So maybe I associate gambling with a something familiar, something positive.”

“Panda is a very high-functioning person. Lots going on in her head,” Oliver explained.“Being in a casino is a distraction and a rush at the same time. And she’s fascinated by the inner workings. You have no idea how many times she’s made me sit through Oceans 11. She roots for Andy Garcia every time.” He laughed and squeezed her shoulder in a deliberate way, trying to demonstrate an established show of affection. 

“Myles, it sounds like our guests may be keen to see behind the curtain.” 

“Well, we are in Macau,” Oliver responded with a shrug.  

“Unfortunately, we have regulators in tonight.”

Felicity put on her “mildly disappointed” face. 

“A quarterly nuisance, but a necessary part of doing business in this part of the world,” Myles continued. “I’m sure I could arrange something tomorrow. You two are still with us?”

“Yes. And with any luck we’ll have our clothes. I mean, our luggage will have come so we can dress…” 

Oliver smiled, sharing a moment with their amused hosts. Meanwhile, Myles’ phone buzzed and he pulled it up off the table to read a text. 

“Sorry. You can’t take me anywhere,” Felicity remarked with a sigh. 

“We think you are charming, Panda.” Celeste beamed, and then turned her attention to Myles, a question in her expression. 

“Oh, everything’s alright,” he sighed. “I do need to go up to the Control Room for a brief consultation. Thirty minutes.”

Celeste spoke up. “Why don’t we take a short break then? You two take some time together to explore the floor and then we’ll meet in a half hour to play.”

“That sounds perfect,” Oliver responded, squeezing Felicity’s hand, which was now resting on the table surface. She turned to him and nodded. 

“What game shall we play, Myles?” Celeste inquired. Myles drew back her chair and helped her rise, offering her his hand. Oliver followed suit with Felicity, because when Moira Queen wasn’t reprimanding him for bad grades growing up, she was drilling him in manners. 

“Does anyone have an aversion to Blackjack? The VIP room is quite stunning, thanks to Celeste’s fine eye.”

“Thank you, Darling.” Celeste smiled demurely at the compliment.

Felicity grimaced internally. She had been hoping for Poker. “That sounds like fun! And what an honor to play with you in your house,” she added. 

“Wonderful. It’s located on the upper level. Just take the stairs beside the Gold Dragon out on the floor. There will be an attendant at the top who will escort you to us.” 

Celeste and Myles headed out of the room. The door closed behind them. Felicity steadied herself on the back of the closest chair, throwing her head back with for a gulp of free air. Oliver put his hand on her shoulder from behind and leaned in close to whisper. 

“You are so amazing.” 

Felicity huffed. She lowered her head to nuzzle closer to Oliver. That was when she spotted Myles’ phone on the table. He wasn’t the sort of man who would leave his phone behind, or wouldn’t for long. 

She suddenly weighed the probabilities. Myles may have left the device behind to see if they would return it to him. The phone could be monitoring them, in which case, they were currently under scrutiny. Or, the man would come back through the door any moment to retrieve the phone and catch the couple interacting in a spontaneous moment. Unfortunately, she had to process all of these options while Oliver Queen’s hot lips were slowly exploring the skin just below her ear.  

Deciding that two of the three options were definitely possible, Felicity reached up and around Oliver’s head. She gently raised it, pulling him away and eliciting a frustrated groan.

“Archer,” she purred. Oliver’s eyes narrowed. Felicity turned, never taking her gaze off him. 

He quirked an eyebrow at her right before she shoved him.

xoxoxoxo

Oliver Queen had situational awareness. It was borne out of necessity and honed by hours of painful ARGUS training. He was taught to respond to any and all attacks. But he absolutely was not ready for Felicity Smoak to push him down to sit in a chair. If he hadn’t been so damn thrilled by the actions of the tiny blonde force of nature currently dropping to sit in his lap, he might have chastised himself. 

Felicity was now perched on his thigh and the slit in her red dress was revealing her leg rather aggressively. It was incredible. He could hardly be blamed if his hand moved over her exposed thigh. Felicity gripped his shoulder tighter. 

It was then Oliver recovered and realized that something might be amiss. He looked to her face for some kind of clue, but Felicity wasn’t meeting his eyes. She had turned to reached for her evening bag. Then, amiss turned to surreal when she pulled out a pair of panties. 

xoxoxoxo

For a split second, Felicity actually hoped they were being monitored so she could hack a server and capture the look on Oliver’s face when she produced that shard of fabric. She didn’t know what his reaction would be, but she did not expect to glimpse what a bullfighter might see when waving his cape. The red satin obviously had Oliver’s wheels spinning immediately. His breathing changed. His body tensed.For Felicity, it was an utter thrill. So often, his masculinity, his extraordinary sex appeal, gave him the upper hand. He used it in the Lair to great affect when salmon-laddering or smashing tires with sledgehammers (who does that? Couldn’t he get a Bowflex like a normal person?). But now the shoe was on the other foot. She wanted to savor it, but there wasn’t time.  

Oliver’s blue eyes were darker than she had ever seen them and he licked his lips before speaking pointedly. “PandaBear? What…”

Felicity tipped forward and nuzzled him like a cat while slowly tucking the panties into his tuxedo jacket so that they sloppily obfuscated his pocket square. When she pulled away, Oliver sighed, enjoying the haze of affection and scent of exotic shampoo she left behind for a moment before looking down at the shock of red. 

Breath abated, he tugged the satin enough to loosen it so it fell around his fingers. As he diverted his gaze to Felicity for some kind of explanation, the door swung open and Myles strode in.  

“Ah, sorry, you two.” He saw the scandalous tableau and smirked, never breaking his stride towards the table and his cell phone. The two turned their heads to watch him, but their bodies remained close. The hand Oliver had installed on Felicity’s thigh flexed gently as a reminder that he was here and she was safe. Always. 

Myles snagged his mobile device and raised it to view his messages. The man pivoted without missing a beat and headed back towards the door. “I see you’re taking part in the local superstition, Panda. Good work. You’re going to have a lucky night, Archer. See you two in a bit.”  

And then he was gone. Felicity exhaled. Their cover was now more solid than ever, likely having passed some kind of test to see if they were a legitimate couple in private. 

Meanwhile, Oliver’s eyes darted down to the item in his pocket. Then he diverted his gaze back to face Felicity, his right brow raised and nearly reaching his hairline. The hand happily installed on her leg began to creep north, heat-seeking.

“You are full of surprises, aren’t you?” he mused. Oliver pulled the panties out of his pocket slowly, reverentially.

“I can explain,” she said with light, forced chuckle. Meanwhile, her body was feeling the opposite, drawn to him like he was a Neodymium magnet and she was paperclip. Damn, those physical science lessons in school came back at the worst times. 

Oliver raised the panties to hover between them. He wound the silky material around his fingers and rubbed his calloused thumb against the grain. When his tongue dragged slowly across his bottom lip and his curious thumb came close to reaching her actual underwear, Felicity’s eyes grew wide. 

“They aren’t my…underthings,” she hissed, her cheeks pinking.Oliver froze all advances and fondling. “Well, technically they are mine. But I’m not wearing them.” Felicity huffed at her own inability to express herself clearly. “I mean, I am wearing a pair just like them. But not those,” she added. 

Oliver gave her the only look he could that communicated she still had not explained anything. Felicity sighed in frustration with herself.

“The lady in the shop today told me that here in Macau, women give men their red…” she halted right there, unable to say the next word on her lips. Oliver helped her. 

“Panties,” he whispered.

“Mmm hmm.” Felicity nodded, grateful he had said it out loud instead. She leaned in to speak quietly. “Yes, they give them their….panties…for good luck. The lady gave me extra, so I put them in my bag. Just in case.”

Oliver moved to nuzzle her jaw. “Just in case, huh? Just in case what, exactly?”

Felicity sighed and slipped her fingers up his lapel, around his neck and into his soft hair. “In case we needed luck. _Do you understand?_ ”

She said the words just like he had in the Queen Mansion that night after he told her he loved her. The resemblance wasn’t lost on Oliver. And he did understand. For someone without much experience in the field, Felicity Smoak had demonstrated preparation and an ability to improvise. 

Oliver moved quickly, standing and bringing her with him. He banded his arms around her and walked the two of them to the door, where he leaned his body against hers. His hand found her exposed leg again. He lost no time finding skin to touch and his lips sought a place for intimate connection. 

“I do,” he rasped. “And I think you are the most remarkable woman I’ve ever known.” Oliver’s tongue began doing wicked things to her ear. New things. Things none of her previous boyfriends had done. 

Felicity was lost in the heady feeling of his whirlwind movement, and the new onslaught of his affection. Was her ear somehow connected to her sex? Sex. Holy shit, what could that tongue do in other places? She nearly keened from the thought of it and then Oliver stopped to breathe against her. 

“So what you’re telling me is that right now you are wearing a pair of panties just like these?” His words were puffs of naughty heat.

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“Good?” She sounded confused. And turned on. Her emotions were very complicated on this mission. 

“Tonight, when we are at the tables, I can think about you wearing them. So sexy. Did I mention how incredible you were at dinner, talking about Bitcoin like that? It was…arousing.” Oliver pressed his groin against her to emphasize his point. 

“Oh my gosh,” she squeaked. Oliver huffed a laugh. She was so adorable, even when he was seducing her. 

“You were. You are. Amazing. Smart. Beautiful. Irresistible.” Oliver claimed her lips, first in soft kisses before he took sole ownership. 

This kiss was more demanding than anything they shared earlier in their suite. His hand rounded her hip and palmed her bottom, pulling her impossibly closer. Everything about their connection simmered with want. 

When Oliver pulled away, they were both in need of a breath. He cupped her porcelain cheek and looked into her eyes, which reflected his own desire. 

Felicity realized she was panting. He did that to her. 

“Later, when we finish with our hosts, I want to walk you back to our room. Where it’s quiet and we won’t be interrupted. And then I’d like to kiss you again. And hold you. And I’d like to take those panties off you myself. Would that be alright?” 

Felicity processed. She blinked several times more than usual. Then she nodded.

Oliver tipped his forehead against hers for one last moment before letting her go.

She struggled to regain her footing for several seconds.Eventually, Felicity managed to smile and went to get her evening bag. A moment later, she was freshening her lipstick as if nothing had happened. As if she hadn’t just agreed to a night that would forever change what they were to each other.

Meanwhile, Oliver shoved the panties inside his jacket, into his breast pocket, just over his heart.Archer Middleton smoothed his suit as Pandora Fleece returned to him. She took his extended elbow and the two headed out of the dining room, down the corridor, and into the gaming area of the casino.

 

TBC...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading and encouraging me. It means a great deal to me.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity have dinner with their hosts. Things get quite intimate afterwards. Sexy times ahead. And penguins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody. Thanks so much for your continued interest in this story. This chapter was a bit of a struggle for me. Lots of encouragement by tinaday3w helped me get through it and she kindly fixed all kinds of silly mistakes I made throughout. Big hugs to her. Warning, this chapter gets very steamy. If that is not your thing, you'll want to move on.

 

Chapter 4

They toured the casino floor slowly, Oliver’s arm draped comfortably around Felicity’s shoulder. The couple stopped at various sections devoted to individual games and he would whisper into her ear about play they were observing. 

“Have I mentioned how incredible you have been all day today?” Oliver might have breathed a little heat against Felicity’s ear. 

Felicity blushed. “Maybe.” She began walking again, but he was right there with her, moving forward through the aisles. 

“We came here with a plan, but you have taken the whole thing to the next level by ingratiating yourself with Myles,” he whispered. “I’m assuming now that’s happened, we aren’t going to try to breach his security until tomorrow when he gives you the tour of the command center?” 

“Yes and no,” she responded, just as quietly. They did not know who might be listening amongst the players. “We still aren’t sure where his private office is or what kind of security might be in place, but I suspect it may be near the private room we’ll be playing in tonight. I think it would be best if you excused yourself tonight while I’m playing for a few minutes to snoop around. Then we can figure out our strategy tomorrow.”

Finally, Oliver pulled her into a secluded alcove not far from the bustling Pai Gow tables. He took her face in his hands and spoke quietly. 

“Is it a problem that he wants to play Blackjack instead of Poker?”

“Well, it’s a lot harder to win,” she smiled. “Generally, Blackjack is considered the casino game with the best odds for the player, but it’s still tricky. Even if the cards are running hot, if you get someone at the table who doesn’t know how to play, they can bust you by hitting or staying when they shouldn’t.”

“I am assuming you have an ace up your sleeve, Miss Fleece?” 

“In this dress, Mister Middleton,” she spoke with a mischievous look. “Counting cards, silly. That’s why I’m here, after all.”

“Is that harder to do in Blackjack?”

Felicity snorted. “Well, remember when I was showing you how to assign number values for cards with the deck we were playing with in the Bunker?”

“Yes. It’s not easy.” 

“Right. Well, here the game will probably be six decks at once. And it’s possible the dealer might not show all of his cards at the end of every flop.” 

Oliver processed the enormity of the task. Felicity really was a genius. Already allowing himself an indulgence, in his mind, she was _his_ genius. And his secret weapon. Still, his brow knitted as he looked at her. 

“But don’t worry, Archer. Now that we are in with Myles, I don’t really have to run the table. I just have to keep him distracted while you sneak around like a ninja and find out what you can about the operation.”

“Ninja, huh?”

Felicity smiled and nodded. 

“Well, this ninja is a little sad he’s going to miss your performance.” He ghosted a kiss along the curve of her neck. 

“Oh, don’t worry,” she replied, gently raking her hand through his hair. “I’m hoping the festivities in our suite tonight are going to be much more interesting.” 

Oliver mumbled into her jaw. “Festivities?”

“Yes. Festive festivities,” she replied, biting her lip. Oliver pulled back and smiled broadly.

“I like the sound of that, Miss Fleece.” He planted a soft kiss on her nose. He was still worried about the mission — he always worried. But now he was keen to finish their work for the evening. 

“Can you come up with a good reason to excuse yourself for a little while?”

“Leave that to me, PandaBear.” Oliver winked, sending her heartbeat fluttering. 

xoxoxoxo

After they ascended the staircase, they were escorted down a long hallway by a young, overly serious security guard sporting a skinny mustache. Felicity named him “Bond Villain X” in her head as they walked. Numerous mysterious doors were passed until they came to a black entrance decorated with a brass diamond-shaped plate. The word PRIVATE was etched in black letters. 

Bond Villain X produced a key card and swiped a reader to open the door before encouraging them to enter the room, using limited English. It was intimate in size, but adorned with opulent golden dragons and red textured walls. A single gaming table with five stools, upholstered in red leather, stood as the centerpiece. 

Celeste was already waiting in the room, accompanied by a distinguished Asian man Felicity assumed was a high roller Myles wanted to please that evening through inclusion. 

“Panda, Archer, let me introduce Mister Zhao. He is an esteemed member of the business community and a favorite guest here the casino.” Celeste then turned her attention to the older gentleman. “Mister Zhao, here is the lovely young couple I was just telling you about.”

Panda and Archer responded in kind when silver-haired Mister Zhao bowed to them. Oliver sized him up quickly. He didn’t look dangerous, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t one of Crofton’s customers, and therefore deadly. 

A moment later, Myles entered and the quiet energy of the room elevated. A dealer who had been lurking in the corner moved to the table and set up the first shoe. 

Game play began stiffly. A private table was expensive in terms of betting, but money had not been discussed in advance. It was assumed that everyone invited to play could afford to do so.Oliver was once again grateful for the Bitcoin account Felicity had established before the trip, which she was able to use to arrange her bankroll. 

Oliver sensed that everyone was a little tense at first, watching the actions and reactions of the other players. Several hands in, things seemed to defrost as it became apparent they were all serious and competent. He stood nearby - the dutiful companion, nursing a glass of expensive scotch and observing the play. But mostly he observed her. Panda Fleece was fun to watch - the way she held court and interacted with these people in casual conversation, keeping them disarmed with her humor and knowledge of gambling trivia. 

Game play moved quickly. Panda was fortunate to get a couple of gift hands at the start, which mattered later when the cards were turning cold.  

Eventually, Celeste excused herself from the table and joined Archer off to the side where he was caught gazing at his stunning companion, although she was completely unaware of his attention.  

“Panda is an excellent player,” Celeste remarked.  

Archer nodded back.“I have found she’s excellent at most things.”

“My Myles is like that. Everything at the highest level. Even his hobbies, he’s quite serious about them.”

“Really?” Archer turned to more politely address her. “I can’t imagine a man like him actually has spare time. Anything like Panda’s Harry Potter obsession?”

Celeste smiled back. “Not quite that amusing. Myles enjoys speedboat racing and collecting vintage cars - he’s a bit of a James Bond enthusiast, so…” 

“Aston Martins?” Archer quirked an eyebrow at her and grinned. “That sounds like an excellent diversion to me.”

“Well, of course you would think that,” she smiled back at him. 

“Celeste,” he changed gears and lowered his voice even more. “While everyone is playing, I would like to excuse myself and work on a surprise for Panda for tonight. 

“The Concierge would be happy to arrange anything you need, Archer.”  

“I know. It’s just I need to replace some…personal items that were lost with our luggage and I…like to handle things myself,” he explained earnestly, just short of stating that a gentleman buys his own condoms, _thankyouverymuch_.

“You’re a romantic man, aren’t you, Archer Middleton?”

“I’m working on it.” Oliver’s eyes drifted back to Felicity at the gaming table. He watched her posture, leaning slightly against the table, one Louboutin-clad foot tapping silently against the leg of her stool. 

Celeste watched his gaze with just a bit of jealousy. Myles didn’t look at her like that any longer. Or perhaps he never did. It wasn’t his way. Pandora Fleece was a lucky woman. 

“Go ahead and make your escape. I’ll cover for you. But don’t be gone too long. I suspect Panda will notice your absence.”

“Thank you, Celeste. I’ll return shortly.” He took a final swallow of his scotch and placed the drink down on a nearby ledge. 

xoxoxoxo

Oliver closed the black door silently and entered the empty hallway with his typical stealth. There was no sign of the guard who had escorted him in. Oliver guessed the man was at his post near the staircase where they encountered him earlier. 

The Arrow used his time well, quietly exploring the area in search of Myles’ private offices, the place he might keep a record of interaction with Slade Wilson. Unfortunately, most of the doors required key cards. Oliver had considered trying to lift the guard’s card earlier, but knew chances were high the man would miss it too soon. The last thing they needed was to be suspected of theft when they had so quickly and miraculously joined their mark’s inner circle.

Determining his expedition wouldn’t yield anything else, Oliver headed to the staircase and found the security man at his post, as expected. He explained he would be returning in thirty minutes and made his way down to the concierge desk to get directions to run his errands. Part of him felt nervous leaving Felicity alone in the midst of an important part of the mission, but he had every confidence she would have the room eating out of the palm of her hand the whole time he was gone. 

xoxoxoxo

Felicity knew the moment that Oliver left the gaming room, even though her back was facing him and his freaky ninja movements were imperceptible to their host. She felt his absence right away and the energy in her midst dimmed a little, but she didn’t let the loss show. This was a part of a plan they had hatched earlier, one which required Oliver to snoop while Felicity was tasked with distracting their host so he would not be missed.  

Serendipitously, Pandora Fleece was soon dealt a pair of 9’s. She split the cards and upped her bid to $1000 on each hand, well aware that there were several face cards and tens likely left to be drawn. The fates were with her. She was the recipient of a ten and a queen, respectively, giving her two hands of 19. Mister Zhao was also fortunate to earn a twenty on his third card. Myles stayed on a hand of 18. Everyone held their breath when the Dealer finally busted with 24. 

All three players were delighted with their simultaneous wins and there was a wave of joy that overtook the table. It was hot now and everyone felt lucky all of a sudden. Except for Pandora Fleece. She was raised around the tables and knew better than to let that feeling take over. That was how perfectly reasonable people left Las Vegas financially and spiritually bankrupt. Donna Smoak did not raise a dummy and Pandora Fleece and Felicity Smoak shared that same Momma. 

Thoughts of her youth drifted into Felicity’s mind. Rather than fight the intrusion, she decided to share it with the others, in hopes of entertaining them. 

“Once when I was in Vegas, I bet a mob boss I could guess his hand during a particularly lively poker game.”

“Stud?” Myles was curious.

“Oh, he was no dreamboat,” she snorted. Myles shook his head at her joke. She grinned in response. Zhao was stoic throughout. “Yeah, it was stud.” 

“What happened?”

“Well, I couldn’t _not_ guess the hand correctly. It was a single deck game and I was young and dumb.”

“Counting.”

“Like I said, dumb. And too full of myself. But it never occurred to him that a girl could do that. He thought I was psychic or something. And I didn’t have any idea how serious the situation was.”

“So, what happened?”

“I won the bet, of course. He offered me a job, or should I say, he informed me I would be joining his payroll. He figured I’d be golden picking winners at the race track.”

Myles’ eyebrows lifted. “So, you joined the mob?” 

“Oh gosh, no,” she chuckled. “I was nine. My Mom didn’t even want me to join Girl Scouts. She didn’t like organized things with meetings. Also,” she pointed inwardly, “so allergic to horses…and peanuts, actually. So, Vinnie the Neck had to find somebody else.”

Myles laughed at the American. She was definitely a breath of fresh air. Even Zhao was smiling faintly - for the first time, ever. Celeste was spot on bringing this woman into their orbit.

Surprisingly, Zhao finally spoke up in English perfected watching Lord of the Rings movies. “Does this mean you are counting cards tonight, Miss Fleece?”

The heart that was usually in Felicity’s chest leapt up to meet her tongue. She took a breath and smiled. 

"Oh no, Mister Zhao. That would be very rude. I am a guest here. Also, this is what, six decks? That’s a bit much for me.” She smiled warmly at older man, who nodded back. 

“Perhaps you wouldn’t mind educating us, Panda? I have seen it done, of course, as part of the casino business, but I suspect Mister Zhao would enjoy a lesson in the technique.”

Felicity looked at the men quizzically.Zhao piped up, “Oh yes, please,” with a definite grin and she realized she was committed. 

xoxoxoxo

When Oliver quietly re-entered the private gambling room, with the assistance of the guard, he came upon a scene he had not expected. Felicity was now on the dealer side of the table, doling out cards to Myles and the older man, still seated on their stools. Celeste was standing next to Felicity, giggling as she looked down at the men. They were exasperated about something and cursing animatedly in Chinese, which Oliver recognized from his time in Hong Kong. 

As Oliver approached the group, Felicity raised her blue eyes to meet his. They were sparkling. She was having a genuinely good time. Once he reached the table, he looked on a familiar sight. She had the cards laid out exactly the same way when she tried to teach him how to count. And now she was demonstrating the technique to their hosts. He moved around the table to kiss her chastely on the cheek

“Hey Archer, you’re back.”

“I’d ask if you missed me, but it looks like you’re holding court.”

“Yes,” Celeste laughed. “Panda is teaching these men how to cheat at cards.”

“Of course she is,” Oliver huffed a laugh and placed his hand against her back, pressing against her skin to convey his unspoken support to her. “She tried to show me once, but all that math took all the fun out of the game for me. I’m old fashioned. I still like chance in my games of chance.” 

“Me too, Baby.” Panda leaned in and gave him a kiss back. “I tried to explain that I was reformed, but…” 

“She’s actually a gangster,” Celeste chortled. She loved seeing Panda take over and show the men something. 

“No way, Celeste,” Panda replied hastily. “I was _almost_ a gangster. You can’t judge a person for what they did in the fourth grade. And besides, I was gangster-adjacent, at best.”

The group laughed together. Oliver quietly marveled at how remarkable the woman beside him was. He was doing a lot of that on this trip. Sure, he was still worried about her being a part of this mission, concerned about keeping her safe, but he knew that she was capable and smart. Actually, she was more than those things. She was savvy. She could handle herself. And that was exactly what he needed her to do, since little about this caper was going to plan. 

“As much as I have enjoyed playing with you card sharps,” Panda piped up, “I’m afraid jet lag is getting the better of me and I think it’s time to call it a night. Archer?”

“Agreed,” he responded without missing a beat. 

His eagerness was not missed by Celeste, who flashed a smirk at the couple. She reckoned they were more tired of having to squelch their obvious lust for one another in polite company, than actually sleepy. “Shall we cash everyone out then, Myles?”

The evening of gaming wrapped up with Panda Fleece having about $8500 in Blackjack winnings transferred into her Bitcoin account. Mister Zhao was up about $2000 and Myles a respectable $4000. Of course, the men had also gained some insight into card counting, which was priceless from a small American woman and would likely be fodder for their golf course bragging for months. 

xoxoxoxo

Felicity was quiet in the elevator, but wearing a relaxed smile. Oliver watched her reflection in the door as he held her hand, soothing her knuckles gently with his thumb. When she raised his hand to her lips and kissed it, he exhaled the breath he had been holding since they entered the car. They were heading to their room and he was feeling a little anxious.

Oliver opened the door to the suite and Felicity walked through, tossing her purse down on the first surface she passed and pulling her hand away from Oliver’s. He grimaced at the loss of contact, but busied himself securing the door behind him. He loosened his tie and slipped off his jacket, folding it over the back of a chair. 

“So, what did you find on your recon mission while I was trying to teach those guys how to count?”

“Nothing. Every door was locked up tight,” he responded. 

“Oh, you were gone for a while. I got worried.”

“I’m sorry about that.”

Felicity grabbed her tablet from the sofa and glanced at it. “Just checking to see if there have been any changes in here since we left.” She paused a moment. “There was one access about two hours ago.”

“That was me.” 

When she looked up, Oliver was holding a fuchsia rose in his hand, offering it to her. 

“Oh.” Her eyes were wide as she tossed the tablet back down on the chair and accepted the beautiful bloom like it was made of glass. 

“I realized I don’t know what your favorite flower is, or the color. I should know that. I want to know that kind of thing. In the meantime, I picked this one because you wear this color a lot and…” His voice trailed with the hint of an apology.

“Oliver,” she whispered as she gazed at his gift, admiring its delicacy and strength. Then she looked up into his blue eyes, which searched for her approval. “It’s perfect.” She rolled up on her toes and kissed him sweetly. When she settled back on her heels she smiled and brought the flower to her lips. “Now you know what my favorite is.” 

She watched his shoulders relax, but he still looked on her with something on his mind. He wordlessly scrubbed the back of his neck and sat down on the sofa.

Felicity cocked her head. He was brooding and she had no idea why.So, she set her flower down on the coffee table and sat down beside him, angling her body towards his. She snagged his hand, interrupting the nervous tic he had, and enveloped it in both of hers. 

“What’s worrying you? Is it the mission? Because I think we’re doing pretty well considering all of the last minute changes.” She tried to sound confident and reassuring. “In the morning, we’ll come up with some plans for getting access, covering our tracks and making a quick getaway, if it’s necessary. Easy peasy.”

Oliver, who had been studying their hands, couldn’t stifle a snort. “Easy peasy, huh?”

“That’s what I said,” she chirped. 

He smiled at her. Then he kissed her hands lightly. 

“I think that’s not the only thing bothering you, Oliver. Look, I know we’ve been kind of…percolating for a while today…physically…and that maybe created some pressure. I want you to know that if you changed your mind…”

Oliver looked up at her with wide eyes and a smirk. “Felicity. No. I haven’t changed my mind about wanting you.” He studied her face with concern. “But maybe you have.”

“I definitely have not changed my mind.” She disengaged one of her hands and cupped his formidable jaw, running her thumb against the stubble she liked so much. 

“It’s just,” he raised his hand to cover hers, rubbing his face against her palm, “I…love you. So much.”

This drew a warm smile from his partner. “Oliver.”

“I’m overwhelmed, I guess, because you know me better than anyone, I think. The person I am now.” He drew her hands in his again, as if distracting himself from the gravity of the words he needed to say.“You know a lot about what I’ve done, some terrible things. And you know I’ve been with other people for the wrong reasons. And still you’ve stuck by me. You’ve believed in me at times when I’ve been lost and you helped me make choices that weren’t easy.”

“I just encouraged you, Oliver. You were the one who had to be brave enough to change.”

“You’re the one who’s brave. You put yourself at risk when you don’t have to because you believe it’s the right thing to do and you want to make a difference. You aren’t a trained fighter, but you don’t hesitate to step up. And that makes me crazy. It does. But god, I love that you are so fierce.” 

“You think I’m fierce?” She couldn’t help but grin.

“You stabbed Slade Wilson, a lethal killer, in the neck,” he began counting on his fingers. “You got shot to save Sarah. Hell, you took a job as an executive assistant because I needed you to and you did it with grace, even though you were insanely overqualified and people treated you badly.”

Felicity was full on smiling now. She felt appreciated. 

“Don’t forget that I hit Isabel Rochev with a van once. I’m quite proud of that.” 

Oliver chuckled and pulled her in for a hug.“Such a badass.”

“Don’t you forget it, Mister,” she sighed into his ear. This was nice, being held, being enveloped by him. Felicity relaxed into his warmth. 

“Okay,” he laughed. 

“Oliver,” her voice turned unexpectedly serious. “I do know a lot about you. But even though you didn’t know what kind of flowers I like, you do know me.”

“Like how you need coffee infusions three times a day? How you always send calls from your Mom to voicemail so you can answer them when you get home? How you only bring in leftovers from takeout places because you hate to cook?How you used to sponsor a penguin at the Starling Zoo, but when you found out he got a girlfriend penguin you added her too?” 

“I can ship penguins if I want.”

“Their names are Pierre and Ginger.” Oliver stated, matter-of-factly. 

She squeaked in response. “How?”

“I saw a card you sent them in our outbox at the office. I can only imagine the occasion. Isn’t there something about penguins being monogamous?” 

“Some species. You know, you’re kind of reminding me of Pierre right now,” she teased, gesturing to his modified tuxedo - white shirt, suspenders and black pants. And then she broke into laughter with such merriment that she fell back on the sofa. 

Oliver watched her with amusement. Interest. Excitement. She was laid out for him now, the slit in her dress pulled wide and her free leg jutting out to reveal her delicious thigh. He was reminded that just an inch or two out of sight, those red panties were waiting. Still, he didn’t move. 

“All this talk of penguin mating rituals got you hot and bothered, Mister Queen?” Felicity teased, subtly shifting her leg to tantalize even more. 

“You have no idea, Ms. Smoak.” He reached out to run his fingers along her exposed skin, starting at her thigh, but shifted down towards the crook of knee. Then he raised her leg to admire her sexy shoe. “The thing I’ve been trying to say, I think, is that getting to know you and having you know me, means everything to me.” He made sure to catch her eye as he slipped his hand around her ankle.Because I do love you. And loving your brain and your heart isn’t enough for me anymore. I want to love all of you.”

“I feel the same way.” If Felicity wasn’t careful, she would bite through her bottom lip to stifle the moan that threatened to escape after the words. 

When he leaned down to press his warm mouth against her calf, she was trembling. One of her hands gripped the back of the couch while the other reached out and flexed, desperate to touch his shoulder, his arm, his neck. Anything that was him. 

Oliver’s lips had barely begun to explore Felicity’s softness and he was already drowning. The feel of her warm skin against his lips. The sound of her mewling and panting. The smell of exotic soap mixed with a rich sweet musk that rose from her sex. He rubbed his cheek against her inner thigh first and then worshiped the same spot with his tongue. 

“Oh my god, Oliver,” she panted, her mind fritzing from the stimulation. 

“Is this okay?” he murmured, his mouth vibrating against a sensitive spot, closer to her center than he had previously been.

“Are you kidding me right now?” She barked a laugh because the whole situation — Oliver Queen focusing his adoration on her body – was melting her from the inside out. 

He finally used his left hand to nudge the fabric of her dress apart, revealing the red satin that had been haunting him for hours. He stopped moving and stared. 

“Wow,” he exhaled before licking his lips. 

“Well,” she giggled, slightly awestruck. “I can honestly say that I’ve never gotten that reaction before.”

“You should have,” he countered. Then he tore his eyes away from where he was concentrating, fantasizing, and looked her in the eye. “You will. Every day.” 

Oliver grabbed her hand from where it was clutching the sofa and kissed her palm. Then he raised himself off the sofa and tugged her with him. 

“Come on.”

“Where…” She sounded bewildered. 

“I need more space,” Oliver replied confidently, sweeping her into his arms. He seemed to move her to the bedroom in four brisk strides. 

“Balloons!” Felicity squealed, noticing that there were a dozen shiny helium hearts floating above the bed.

“You mentioned festivities earlier, so I kind of thought…”

Felicity stifled a cry by meeting his mouth in a kiss that had been waiting for release. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave back all of the passion he offered her. After what seemed like minutes that robbed them both of air, he lowered her to stand next to the bed. 

“We are really good at kissing,” she sighed as soon as she caught her breath. Then she opened her eyes and found Oliver kneeling in front of her, staring at the slit in her dress, obviously with one thing on his mind. “Oh,” she said out loud. 

He looked up at her, eyes blazing, nostrils flared. He swallowed hard enough for the woman he loved to notice. With sure hands, he caressed the fabric of the dress covering her legs and then shifted his touches beneath. 

“I told you what I wanted earlier.” 

Felicity nodded her agreement and braced her hands on his broad shoulders, which flexed beneath his shirt. A moment later, he hooked his fingers on satin and tugged her panties down. He made a point of skimming her skin the whole way down. Past her thighs. Her knees.  

“So sexy,” he groaned as they passed along her shapely calves. The panties reached her ankles and pooled crimson around her shoes. She stepped out of them and Oliver snagged them from the floor. This gave her the opportunity to shift. Her core was throbbing and needed attention.

Oliver squeezed the satin in his hand. It was warm and moist and he couldn’t stop thinking about where it had just been. 

“Happy?” she smirked. 

“I’m just getting started,” he promised. He was so mesmerized by the look and feel of her underwear that he didn’t notice the shifting air in front of him until Felicity’s dress descended to cover the carpet in front of him in a sea of red. His gaze shot up and suddenly he was seeing her, all of her. 

Oliver’s mouth dropped open, involuntarily.

Felicity tried to commit his expression to memory because this one could potentially fuel her nights for decades to come. 

“Can I tell you something, Oliver? Can I be honest with you right now?” she panted as his gaze roamed rampantly around her naked flesh. “Oliver? Oliver!” 

He met her eyes and nodded silently. 

 “As much as I want to experience your seduction techniques…and they are really working for me…too well…the suspenders…boy, I really want to take advantage of those sometime because you look spectacular in a tux…I’ve been simmering all day and I need us to skip to the main event because I am about to spontaneously combust and I really need to feel you. I’m really sorry because you seem to have plans here and you probably aren’t ready yet, but I’m…” 

He quickly rose to his full height and all of the air in the room disappeared. Felicity watched him rip his shirt open, studs silently littering the carpet. He wrenched the white linen from his shoulders and tossed it aside, an action that forced the suspenders to drop and hang from his slacks. He unfastened his pants next, slightly violently, which resulted in her moaning out loud because even though he was wearing boxer briefs, it was rather apparent that he was, indeed, ready. 

Oliver stepped out of his pants and pulled her into his arms, pressing his body to hers. The feeling of his chest, scarred and mottled, rubbing against her perfect breasts was something so exquisite that he hadn’t even imagined in his fantasies. He relished it for a moment before grabbing her perfect backside with greedy hands and hoisting her up. Her arms and legs instinctively wrapped around him and their lips met for a wanton kiss. 

“My hero,” she whispered when he shifted them onto the bed. 

Once Felicity was on her back, Oliver moved to settle between her legs, pressing his solid length against her with only a thin layer of fabric between them. Her hips responded enthusiastically, rubbing with purpose. He covered her collarbone and shoulders with kisses while she babbled dirty thoughts that would have made him laugh if he hadn’t been concentrating so hard on keeping his shit together. 

“Better?” He was keeping pressure where he assumed she needed it. 

“More,” she whimpered. “I do love the balloons up there. So shiny.”

“How, Honey?” he growled. “What…what do you…my fingers…my mouth…my cock? All of me wants to make you come right now.”  

Felicity met his dark gaze, which she believed mirrored her own desperation. She slipped her palm down his muscular forearm and reached for his hand. She guided it between her legs and he got the message to shift his crotch away so he could maneuver. Their eyes remained locked as her touch encouraged him to slide his fingers through her moisture. 

Oliver gently caressed her clit with his thumb. Once. Twice. A third time. He leaned in to kiss her deeply, massaging his tongue against hers as he slipped his fingers down the slick channel to find her entrance. 

It didn’t take long. After a few moments of thrusting with one digit and then a second, he felt her contracting.She disengaged from the kiss, throwing her head back with a throttled scream. Her hips stuttered and strained against his hand, but he kept fucking her through it until he saw her beautiful face relax. With his other hand, he gently stroked her pink cheek and watched her breasts rise and fall.

“Wow,” she huffed. 

“I’ll say,” Oliver smiled back before pecking her on the lips. He couldn’t stop looking at her like she was the most exquisite creature he had ever seen.

“Wow.” 

“You said that.”

“It deserved two wows. It was that amazing.” 

Oliver burst out laughing. She was funny. She was Felicity. And he cherished her. 

“I do love you,” he said, rubbing his nose against hers. 

“I love you so much, Oliver. And I’m not just saying that because of the…you know.” 

“You know? You can say the orgasm, Felicity. I’m pretty sure when you were losing it earlier you babbled something filthy about my cock.”

“Frack, did I?” she sounded at once mortified and intrigued. “I thought my unintentional double entendres were bad.” 

Oliver winked at her. “Oh, it was straight up indecent. I loved it and I expect you to make good on it. Now come over here.” He hauled her on top of him and made sure she was aware that one part of him was ready to resume their festivities.

xoxoxoxo

Festivities continue in Chapter 5. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading. I am terrible with responding to your wonderful comments. They are so kind - they just blow me away. I do appreciate every single one and I will endeavor to get back to you asap. Oh, and it took me ages to crank out this chapter. It might take a while for the next one as well. Thank you for your patience in advance.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment, if so inclined.


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